NEW YORK CITY HOSTS NATIONAL WALK FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)                    plans             to   hold     its        annual                Out      of    the      Darkness      Overnight walk (www.TheOvernight.org) in New York City on June 4th  through 5th. An estimated 2,000 people from across the U.S. are expected to participate in the 18-mile walk from sunset to sunrise, to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention.

“In addition to raising funds and awareness, The Overnight is also about forming a supportive community and advocating that more be done to prevent suicide,” said Robert Gebbia, executive director for AFSP. “The dedication and commitment of thousands of people walking through the night will  bring  us closer to reaching our goal of making suicide prevention a national priority.”

Suicide is a serious national health problem that cuts across all ages and demographics. Each year, close to one million people make a suicide attempt and more than 34,000 die by suicide in the U.S. alone.  It is the fourth leading cause of death among adults 18 to 65 and the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults.  Military personnel and veterans are also at increased risk.  A recent U.S. Army report confirmed a total of

343 suicides among active-duty, Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers in 2010, nearly one suicide per day.

“Suicide is  a  very  complex  issue  and  one  that  is  often  surrounded  by  stigma  and misconceptions.       It is important for the public to know that more than 90 percent of people  who   die  by  suicide  have  an  underlying  psychiatric  disorder,  most  often depression, at the time of their death,” said Dr. Paula Clayton, medical director for AFSP. “Early recognition and vigorous treatment of  depression are the best ways to prevent suicide.”

Many of The Overnight participants walk because they, a friend or family member suffers  with  a  mental  disorder,  or  have  lost  a  loved  one  to  suicide.                                            For  example Hoboken, N.J., resident Jeannine Suwalski who lost her father to suicide.

“This will be my third time participating in The Overnight walk in memory of my dad. Ever since his death I have felt a responsibility to work towards ending the stigma surrounding suicide and mental illness as well as to help others who have been personally affected by suicide,” said Suwalski.

Registration is now open at  www.TheOvernight.org or by calling 888-The-Overnight. Since  2002,   The  Overnight  has  raised  millions  for  suicide  prevention  research, educational initiatives, and programs to support those bereaved by suicide.  Funds raised from The Overnight will also help support  to distribute AFSP’s new More Than Sad educational program to high schools across the country. For  more information, visit www.MoreThanSad.org.

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the leading national not-for-profit organization  exclusively  dedicated  to  understanding  and  preventing  suicide  through research,  education and  advocacy  as  well  as  to  reaching out  to people  with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide. For more information, visit www.afsp.org.