Raising Awareness About Suicide, Sharing Messages Of Hope
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge the millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide. It’s also a time to raise awareness about suicide prevention and share messages of hope.
Need Help?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
To learn how to get support for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov.
To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).
Warning Signs
Suicide is complex and determined by multiple combinations of factors, such as mental illness, substance misuse, trauma, painful losses, exposure to violence, and social isolation.
Below are the warning signs of suicide for youth and adults. Act if you notice these signs among a family members, friend, neighbor, coworker, or others. Suicide risk is greater if a behavior is new or has increased and if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change.
Suicide Warning Signs for Youth:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide.
- Expressing hopelessness about the future.
- Displaying severe or overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
- Changing or withdrawing from social connections or situations.
- Changes in sleep (increased or decreased).
- Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context.
- Recent increased agitation or irritability.
Suicide Warning Signs for Adults:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide.
- Acting anxious, agitated, or behaving recklessly.
- Talking about being a burden to others.
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
- Sleeping too little or too much.
- Withdrawing or feeling isolated.
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
- Displaying extreme mood swings.
To learn more about warning signs for suicide, what to do if you observe these signs, and how to get help for yourself or others, visit Preventing Suicide (www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/suicide/prevention).
Preventing Suicide
Everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide.
For instance, faith communities can work to prevent suicide simply by helping people navigate the struggles of life to find a sustainable sense of hope, meaning, and purpose, in addition to encouraging individuals to engage in behavioral health care.
Schools can implement suicide prevention programs that provide early intervention, while workplaces can encourage employees to utilize employee assistance programs that provide mental health resources and a nurturing, supportive environment for all. Similarly, community centers can host mental health support groups that incorporate wellness activities, and local businesses can promote and encourage mental health awareness by providing resources to employees and customers.
Losing a loved one to suicide can be profoundly painful for family and friends. SAMHSA’s Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) helps suicide loss survivors find local and national organizations, websites, and other resources that provide support, healing, and a sense of community. Find out more at www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/suicide.
Help for You
Talking with someone about your thoughts and feelings can save your life. There are steps you can take to keep yourself safe through a crisis. Call or text 988 any time or chat online with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
You can also visit FindSupport.gov to get support to find resources on:
Learn how to recognize the warning signs when someone’s at risk—and what action steps you can take. If you believe someone may be in danger of suicide:
Call 911, if danger for self-harm seems imminent.
Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to talk to a caring professional.
If you are worried about someone, ask them if they are thinking about killing themselves. This will not put the idea into their head or make it more likely that they will attempt suicide.
Listen without judging and show you care.
Stay with the person or make sure the person is in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help.
Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.
Learn how to talk about mental health to help you speak to a loved one who you may think is experiencing any mental health concerns.
Prevention Strategies and Approaches
You can contribute by reviewing suicide-related data, assessing the needs and readiness of your community, organization, tribe, state, or territory for suicide prevention, and by developing and implementing policies, programs, and practices to prevent suicide in these areas.
Find Connecticut specific suicide prevention plans, partnerships, organizations, and SAMHSA grants here: https://sprc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/State-of-Connecticut-Suicide-Prevention-Plan-2020-2025.pdf.
Learn about effective prevention (http://sprc.org/effective-prevention/) and best practices in suicide prevention (http://bpr.sprc.org/), and the Zero Suicide Framework (http://zerosuicide.edc.org/about/framework).
