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Suicide prevention forum is Thursday
The police chiefs of Southfield and Farmington Hills spoke ahead of an event Thursday at the Hawk Community Center about suicide prevention. The goal, the organizers say, is by talking more about prevention that suicide will also be prevented.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A suicide prevention community forum is scheduled for Thursday in Metro Detroit with the aim of speaking more about the ways to tell if someone is struggling with mental illness.
The goal, organizers say, is by speaking more about suicide prevention, that it'll increasingly be prevented. But it's no easy task.
"There's even aspects of it that we don’t see, people don’t communicate with us, they don't inform us of," said Chief Jeff King of Farmington Hills police.
"Some of the signs can be individuals making comments, making jokes about committing suicide," said Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren. "And then there are other people who hide it very well and at the last minute you find out that they have these types of thoughts."
The two police chiefs spoke ahead of the event and advocated for increasingly helping those that are depressed or isolated.
One manner of seeking help starts with the national suicide awareness hotline 988.
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More help will be available at the Hawk Community Center in Farmington Hills, where a forum from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. will include police officers and a community roundtable with mental health professionals.
"There’s always that feeling of woulda, coulda, shoulda, - there was something we missed. And that’s really the intent of what we want to do this community forum," said King.
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If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text to 741-741
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.