Page 28 - The Indian EYE 091721

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 | The Indian Eye 28

NatioNal sUiCide PReveNtioN Week

aaPi’s Webinar offers effective ways

to prevent suicide

Our Bureau
Chicago, IL

ational Suicide Preven-
tion Week, which begins
Non September 5 and
ends on September 11 this year,
is an annual campaign observed
in the United States to educate
and inform the general public
about suicide prevention and
the warning signs of suicide,”
said Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, onds, according to the WHO.” ber the many lives that are lost cide is a burden on the nation,
President of American Associa- He said, “Mental health issues and those who survived suicide costing $93 billion annually.
tion of Physicians of Indian Ori- like depression are known to be attempt and we strive to create Early detection is cheap. They
gin (AAPI) during a webinar on the leading cause for attempting hope through action,” said Dr. are preventable. Precision med-
“Precision Medicine for Mental suicide. Suicide often occurs in Adams. icine needs to be embraced by
Health: How to Save and Im- a moment of unbearable pain or Dr. Adams referred to the assessing the symptoms which
prove Lives” organized by AAPI deep despair. Millions of Amer- National Action Alliance for will help in decreasing uncer-
in collaboration with MindX icans consider suicide, make a Suicide Prevention (Action Al- tainty, he said. “Never has the
Sciences Inc., on Wednesday suicide plan, or attempt suicide liance), and his call as the Sur- need been a greater need and
Sept. 8, 2021. every year — especially young geon General of the United more tools available today than
The educational webinar Americans for whom suicide State to Implement the Nation- ever,” Dr. Admas said.
attended by dozens of AAPI is the second leading cause of al Strategy for Suicide Preven- In his address, Dr. Alexan-
members from around the na- death.” By drawing attention tion. “More than 20 years ago, der B Niculescu III, focused on
tion was organized in obser- to the problem of suicide in the Surgeon General David Satch- “Precision Medicine for Mental
vance of the National Suicide United States, the campaign er issued the landmark report Health: From Dream to Sci-
Prevention Week, “which aims also strives to reduce the stigma The Surgeon General’s Call ence to Clinical Practice,” the
to reduce the stigma surround- surrounding the topic, as well as to Action to Prevent Suicide, tools available today, how we
ing suicide and encourage the encourage the pursuit of mental recognizing suicide as a major can access them and save lives.
pursuit of mental health assis- health assistance and support public health issue and calling MindX Scinces offers “a com-
tance because going to therapy people who have attempted sui- for a national response. The plete set of tools to assess, diag-
should be as normalized as go- cide,” Dr. Kolli, a certified psy- National Strategy for Suicide nose, prevent suicide and treat
ing to the gym.” chiatrist told the AAPI members. Prevention (National Strategy), mental health issues that lead to
Dr. Ravi Kolli, Presi- Dr. Jerome Adams, the first released in 2001 and up- suicide,” he said.
dent-Elect of AAPI moderated United States Surgeon General dated in collaboration with the The Life x Mind App by
the session, which had eminent under President Trump, while Action Alliance in 2012, identi- MindX Sciences is meant to
speakers, including Dr. Jerome addressing the audience on fies 13 goals and 60 objectives be a dashboard for your Life
Adams, former United States “Precision Medicine for Mental that address every aspect of and Mind, a way to track how
Surgeon General and Dr. Alex- Health: The Time Has Come” suicide prevention—from fos- you feel and what you do, and
ander Niculescu, co-founder of drew attention of the partic- tering healthy and empowered see how they impact each oth-
Mindx Sciences and Professor ipants to the reality that how individuals, families, and com- er, he said. This will help you
of Psychiatry and Medical Neu- mental health and social dis- munities to providing effective Know Thyself, Improve Thy-
roscience at Indiana University parity are leading healthcare prevention programs and clini- self, as the ancient philoso-
School of Medicine; and Sunil needs around the nation. “In cal care,” Dr. Adams said. phers dreamed of, and live a
Hazaray, CEO of MindX Sci- 2019, suicide was the 10th lead- “Suicide is preventable and happier, more hopeful, and
ences. ing cause of death in the United it continues to remain a grow- more meaningful life. This
In his introductory remarks, States, and the second leading ing public health issue,” he app can also be used by doc-
Dr. Koli drew the attention of cause of death for young people said. As many as 43,000 died tors, psychologists, and coach-
the audience to the fact that between the ages of 10 and 34,” of suicide in 2019 in the United es with their clients. Ten per-
“Almost 800,000 people die ev- Dr. Adams pointed out. While States. While the suicide rate cent of the proceeds from each
ery year due to suicide, which commemorating World Suicide decreased in 2020, overdose app will be donated to mental
means one death every 40 sec- Prevention Week, “We remem- attempt increased by 30%. Sui- health support organizations.

www.TheIndianEYE .com