US - EN
Menu Close

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Know the Signs and How to Help

National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Graphic - CCM Health

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Know the Signs and How to Help

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, encourage conversations about mental health, and remind people that help and hope are available.

Suicide is a serious public health concern, but it is also preventable. One of the most important things each of us can do is learn how to recognize when someone may be struggling and know how to respond. A caring conversation, a willingness to listen, and helping someone connect with support can make an important difference.

“During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, know that talking openly about our struggles or thoughts of suicide is a protective factor that reduces the risk of self-harm. Feeling overwhelmed and reaching your limit can happen to any of us,” says Jennifer Briest, MSW, LICSW, LADC, Clinical Social Worker at CCM Health. “Reaching out for help is a sign of strength and reminds us that we do not have to navigate our struggles alone. Our providers are here for you and are dedicated to your health and well-being.”

 

Understanding Suicide Risk

There is no single cause of suicide. Mental health conditions, stressful life events, substance use, physical health concerns, relationship problems, financial difficulties, grief, trauma, and other challenges may all contribute to a person’s level of risk. Often, several factors come together at the same time.

Having one or more risk factors does not mean someone will attempt suicide. However, recognizing changes in a person’s words, behavior, or mood can help family members and friends know when it may be time to reach out.

 

Warning Signs of Suicide to Watch For

Warning signs are especially important when they are new, have become more serious, or appear after a painful event, loss, or major life change.

 

Changes in What Someone Says

Pay attention if someone begins talking about:

  • Wanting to die or not wanting to be alive
  • Feeling hopeless or believing things will never get better
  • Having no reason to live
  • Feeling trapped
  • Being a burden to family or friends
  • Experiencing unbearable emotional or physical pain
  • Feeling extreme guilt or shame

These statements should always be taken seriously, even if the person seems to be joking or brushes off the comment later.

 

Changes in Behavior

Someone who is struggling may also:

  • Withdraw from family, friends, work, school, or activities they usually enjoy
  • Sleep much more or much less than usual
  • Increase their use of alcohol or drugs
  • Give away important or valued belongings
  • Contact people to say goodbye
  • Take unusual or dangerous risks
  • Search for ways to end their life or make preparations for suicide
  • Become unusually aggressive, restless, or agitated

A sudden change from being very sad or distressed to appearing unusually calm or relieved can also be a warning sign in some situations.

 

Changes in Mood

Watch for major or unexpected changes such as:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Anger
  • Shame or humiliation
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Severe mood swings
  • Increased agitation

You know the people in your life. If someone simply does not seem like themselves and you are concerned, trust that feeling and start a conversation.

 

What Should You Do If You Are Concerned About Someone?

It can feel uncomfortable to talk about suicide, but avoiding the subject does not make the risk go away. You do not need to be a mental health professional to start a conversation.

  1. Ask Directly
  • Find a private place and calmly ask what you have noticed.
  • You might start with, “I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed like yourself lately, and I’m worried about you.”
  • If you are concerned about suicide, it is okay to ask directly: “Are you thinking about suicide?”
  • Research has shown that asking someone about suicide does not cause or increase suicidal thoughts. Asking clearly can give someone permission to talk about what they are experiencing.
  1. Listen Without Judgment
  • Give the person your full attention. Let them explain how they are feeling without immediately trying to solve the problem.
  • Avoid telling them that they “shouldn’t feel that way,” comparing their situation to someone else’s, lecturing them, or trying to convince them that their problems are not serious.
  • Instead, let them know you care about them and that you are willing to listen. Take what they say seriously.
  1. Take Any Talk of Suicide Seriously
  • Never assume someone is simply looking for attention.
  • If a person tells you they are thinking about suicide, stay with them and help them connect with support. Do not promise to keep suicidal thoughts or plans a secret. Their immediate safety is more important.
  1. Help Keep Them Safe
  • If you believe someone may be at risk, help create distance between the person and anything that could be used to seriously harm themselves.
  • This may include safely securing firearms, medications, or other potentially lethal items. When possible, involve other trusted family members, health care professionals, or crisis professionals rather than trying to manage the situation alone.
  1. Connect Them With Help
  • Encourage the person to contact a mental health professional, primary care provider, therapist, or another trusted health care professional.
  • If someone is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress in the United States, they can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Online crisis support is also available through https://988lifeline.org/chat/.
  • If there is an immediate threat to someone’s life or safety, call 911 or seek emergency medical care.
  1. Follow Up
  • Support should not end when the immediate crisis passes.
  • Send a message. Make a phone call. Stop by. Ask how the person is doing and whether they were able to connect with professional support.
  • Even a simple message such as, “I’ve been thinking about you. How are you doing today?” can remind someone that they are cared about and are not facing their challenges alone.
  • The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline recommends five basic actions when helping someone who may be considering suicide: ask, be there, help keep them safe, help them connect, and follow up.

 

You Don’t Have to Have All the Answers

One reason people sometimes hesitate to reach out is because they are afraid they will say the wrong thing.

You do not need to know exactly what to say. You also do not need to fix every problem the person is facing.

Start by being present.

Listen. Ask questions. Show that you care. Help the person take the next step toward professional support.

Sometimes the most important message a person can hear is that they matter and that they do not have to face what they are experiencing alone.

 

Start the Conversation

National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a reminder that suicide prevention is something we can all be part of.

Learn the warning signs. Check in with the people you care about. Ask difficult questions when you are concerned. Listen without judgment. Help someone connect with support.

You may never know how much a conversation, phone call, text message, or simple act of kindness means to someone who is struggling.

There is help. There is hope. And no one has to face a mental health crisis alone.