New national strategy on suicide prevention

The U.S. Surgeon General announced a new national strategy Monday aiming at preventing suicide.

It will use the social networking site, Facebook to help people who talk about suicide and connect them with immediate help.

One big concern is that nearly 16 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 report having seriously considered suicide and nearly 7.8 percent report having attempted suicide once or more in the past 12 months.

"Some of the thinking in the past is that people don't want to talk about suicide because they think it might prompt suicides, but this is a whole new way of thinking. Now we know research shows it's important we talk about it, that we don't leave people isolated. That you ask, have you thought about suicide, have you thought about harming yourself? Open that means of communication," U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD said.

Here are several links for help, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

http://www.facebook.com/help/contact/?id=305410456169423

http://www.facebook.com/ActionAlliance#!/800273TALK

http://www.facebook.com/ActionAlliance

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national/world, cheryl jennings

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