Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: You Don’t Have to Struggle Alone

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and remind people that conversations about suicide and mental health can save lives.

Suicide is a difficult topic to talk about. Many people worry that they will say the wrong thing, make someone uncomfortable, or even “put the idea” of suicide into someone’s mind by asking about it. But avoiding the conversation can leave someone who is struggling feeling even more alone.

Sometimes, one of the most powerful things we can do is simply ask, listen, and help someone connect with support.

When Emotional Pain Becomes Overwhelming

People who experience suicidal thoughts do not all look the same. Someone may continue going to work, caring for their family, attending school, laughing with friends, or posting on social media while privately experiencing significant emotional pain.

Suicidal thoughts can occur alongside depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship difficulties, financial stress, major life transitions, feelings of hopelessness, or other overwhelming circumstances.

For some people, suicidal thoughts may not necessarily reflect a desire to die. Instead, they may reflect an intense desire for emotional pain, exhaustion, or circumstances that feel unbearable to stop.

This is why it is important to take statements about suicide seriously.

Warning Signs to Pay Attention To

There is no single sign that tells us whether someone is considering suicide. However, certain changes may indicate that someone needs additional support.

These may include:

• Talking about wanting to die or feeling as though others would be better off without them

• Expressing hopelessness or feeling trapped

• Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities

• Significant changes in mood, sleep, or behavior

• Giving away important possessions or saying unexpected goodbyes

• Increased use of alcohol or substances

• Taking unusual risks or behaving recklessly

• Talking about having no reason to live

• A sudden, unexplained sense of calm after a period of significant emotional distress

  
  

Any statement about suicide deserves attention, even if you are unsure how serious the person is.

What Do You Say When You're Worried About Someone?

You do not need to be a mental health professional to start the conversation.

You can say:

“I've noticed that you haven't seemed like yourself lately. How are you really doing?”

If you are concerned about suicide specifically, it is okay to ask directly:

“Are you thinking about suicide?”

Asking directly does not cause someone to become suicidal. Instead, it can create an opportunity for them to tell you what they have been experiencing.

If someone tells you that they are thinking about suicide, listen without judgment. Avoid immediately trying to fix the situation, minimizing their feelings, lecturing them, or telling them what they “should” be grateful for.

You might say:

“Thank you for telling me.”

“I’m here with you.”

“You don't have to handle this by yourself.”

“Let's figure out what support you need right now.”

Most importantly, take them seriously and help them connect with appropriate professional or crisis support.

If You Are the One Struggling

Maybe you are reading this because you recognize some of these feelings in yourself.

You may feel exhausted. You may feel hopeless about circumstances that haven't changed. You may believe that other people would not understand what you are experiencing. You may even worry that reaching out will make you a burden.

You deserve the opportunity to receive support before making a permanent decision during a period of overwhelming pain.

Tell someone what is happening. Contact someone you trust, a mental health professional, your physician, or a crisis resource. You do not have to wait until things become unbearable before asking for help.

Therapy can provide a confidential space to understand what you are experiencing, identify the factors contributing to your distress, develop healthier ways of coping, and create a plan for moving forward.

Supporting Suicide Prevention Beyond September

Suicide prevention is not limited to one month.

We can all contribute by talking more openly about mental health, checking in on the people we love, taking emotional distress seriously, encouraging people to seek professional support, and challenging the stigma that sometimes prevents people from asking for help.

You never know what someone may be carrying privately.

A genuine question—“How are you really doing?”—can open the door to a conversation someone desperately needed.

At Guiding Hope Counseling and Consulting, we believe that asking for help is an important step toward healing. Our clinicians provide compassionate mental health support for teens and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transitions, relationship difficulties, and other emotional challenges.

We provide virtual therapy throughout Texas and accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna, with additional insurance options continuing to expand.

To learn more about our therapists or schedule an appointment, visit ghcounselinggroup.com or contact our office at info@ghcounselinggroup.com.

If You Need Immediate Help

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

If there is an immediate danger or medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

You do not have to face a crisis alone.