The campaign of September Yellow is dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention. It is the month that brings more visibility to mental disorders and what are the chances of making them less objectionable since the focus is to show the need to seek help and treatment.
Annually, an average of 12 suicides occur in Brazil and between 700 and 800 around the world, with 96,8% of the records relating to a mental disorder. The most common causes are depression, bipolar disorder and substance abuse. In 2020 we had 12.895 registered suicides, 0,4% more than 2019 (12.745) and 53,5% more than 2012 (6.905). Even with all the taboo on the subject, discussion is necessary to avoid the growth that these indices show in the last eight years, since they are not just numbers, but lives.
And for those of you who wondered how this campaign came about, let us tell you!
How did Yellow September come about?
Such an important movement makes people wonder how the yellow September came about. It all started in the United States, with Mike Emme, a young man who liked to refurbish and paint cars. Mike was a warm person and everyone knew him for his mustang 68 yellow, painted and restored by himself. Sadly, in 1994, Mike took his own life. None of his family or friends had noticed the signs as, at that time, the subject was not discussed as openly as it is today.
At his funeral, a basket of cards and ribbons in the famous yellow color of the Mustang 68 was set up by Mike's friends and carried the words: “If you need it, ask for help.” in the hope that the fate of his colleague would not be repeated by others. This movement became so famous that young people around the American territory began to use yellow cards as a way to demonstrate that they needed help. The yellow ribbons became the symbol of the Yellow September campaign.
Nine years later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared September 10 as World Suicide Prevention Day.
Mental health of college students
Nowadays, not only in Brazil, but all over the world, university students face a certain epidemic of mental illnesses. A survey carried out in 2016 showed that 30% of students at federal universities in Brazil sought psychological care and 10% needed to use some type of medication prescribed by a psychiatrist. Professionals in the field of psychology said that, currently, most patients are undergraduate or graduate students.
Some of the determining causes that were presented for this situation are the constant demands for results at work, stress, the pressure to always be producing, studying and working, and also the fact that the job market is increasingly competitive over the years. time .
Not long ago, educational institutions did not prioritize the discussion of suicide nor treated Yellow September as an important campaign. Nowadays, the topic is discussed in schools, companies and specialized NGOs.
Most students have high expectations when they pass the entrance exam, believing in the conviction that in universities they will be free and have their own autonomy, different from how it was in high school. Such expectations soon disappeared when faced with another reality in the classroom.
Yellow September: how to help?
With the popularity of the Yellow September campaign, students have more and more instruction and help when needed.
Ask for help
Don't wait for the arrival of yellow September to seek help. If you realize that you are not in a good phase with major anxieties and cannot control them as before, seek help from a professional. Only he can offer a correct diagnosis and ease some of the weight off your shoulders. Yellow September is awareness month, but not the only one to ask for help.
Get to know CVV
O Hot line It is available 24 hours a day via the number 188 or via the chat on its website. The organization works by dedicating emotional support, and just like Yellow September, to suicide prevention. If you need urgent help, please contact us. We are with you!
