September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a chance to raise awareness about this taboo and stigmatized subject. Suicide occurrences increased 25.7 percent in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), making it the 27th top cause of death in 2020, up from 31st in 2019.

In Cincinnati, USA a group of researchers are studying SAM or Spreading Activation Mobile since 2017. It examines suicide’s language in order to detect it early and, perhaps, prevent it. The technology is now being tested among veterans and has been utilized in local schools, emergency departments, and courts.

For years, Dr. John Pestian, a professor of medicine, psychiatry, and biomedical informatics, has been working on this study. He claims that the rate of suicide among veterans is considerably greater, with 20 individuals dying by suicide every day. The technology is presently being evaluated to see if it can detect suicidal tendencies in veterans.

The study began with a review of 1,200 to 1,300 suicide notes to look for trends in the wording. The software can listen to a patient and caregiver’s discussion, translate it to text, and analyze the language to determine whether a child or patient is suicidal.

This September, join us in spreading awareness about suicide. Help us in educating people that technology is not the solution, but with proper use and support will be the best aid to prevent suicide and self-harm.

Watch the study’s demonstration here: