September is Suicide Prevention Month, which serves as a vital time to raise awareness, cultivate hope, and prompt meaningful action about suicide. We at Heartland Therapy Connection want to share information about how you can recognize warning signs, offer meaningful support through open conversations, and access resources available to help prevent suicide among our community and loved ones.
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, with over 48,000 people dying by suicide and an an estimate number of 14.3 million of adults having serious thoughts of suicide in 2024 alone, per the CDC and NAMI. While suicide represents an 
extremely urgent concern, people often feel stress or anxiety about starting conversations with loved ones about suicide and suicide risk. People often fear that starting this type of conversation might “put the thought in their head” or that they might mess up and end up doing more harm than good. However, research continuously shows that asking or talking about suicide does not increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
Ultimately, talking about suicide isn’t harmful, silence is. Bridging the gap and starting an honest and direct conversation canbe the turning point in someone’s life and the first step towards help.
Knowing the Warning Signs
Suicide and thoughts of suicide affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and recognizing the warning signs can be vital in ensuring safety. Here are some of the signs that a person might be thinking about suicide and that it might be time to start a conversation:
- Talking about wanting to die, about feeling great guilt or shame, or about being a burden to others.
- Making statements about feeling empty, hopeless, trapped; experiencing unbearable emotional or physical pain; or having no reason to live.
- Behaviors such as making a plan or researching ways to die, stockpiling pills, or buying a gun.
- Withdrawing from friends or family members, saying goodbye, giving away important possessions, or making a will.
- Engaging in risky behaviors such as driving extremely fast, using drugs or alcohol more often, or getting in trouble with the law or at school.
- Displaying extreme mood swings or suddenly appearing extremely agitated, anxious, sad, or rageful.
Starting a Conversation
If you recognize one or more of these signs in a loved one, taking action is always the best choice, even if the risk of imminent death appears low. Starting the conversation shows you care and opens the door to effective dialogue. Here are some ways to ensure that you approach the conversation in a sensitive and effective way:
- Ask directly: It’s important that you ask directly about suicide and suicidal thoughts. Asking a question like “are you thinking about suicide?” communicates that you are open to talking about suicide in a non-judgmental way. Use a calm, curious tone when asking.
- Listen: Consistently show validation and care. Allow for them to express their feelings and work to have them feel seen, understood, and cared for in this moment. Avoid lecturing or imposing your own beliefs or reasons to stay alive.
- Be There: This means providing a safe space to share their feelings and listening without judgment. It’simportant to follow through with the ways that you say you’ll show up for a person, don’t commit to anything you will be unwilling or unable to do. Do not ever promise to keep their thoughts of suicide a secret.
Taking Action:
If a person is at risk, it is critical that you take practical steps to ensure their safety:
Assess Risk and Keep Them Safe: During your conversation, determine if theyhave a specific plan or means to carry out the plan. If they have identified a means or a plan, ask about take steps to reduce access to those means to help the person stay safe when suicidal thoughts emerge. - Help Them Connect: Help the person identify and connect with ongoing sources of support (such as the 988 Lifeline) to help establish a safety net for moments of crisis. It might also be helpful to connect them with community resources and mental health professionals. If they are actively suicidal, don’t wait to get support and get them help immediately.
- Follow Up: After your initial conversation, make sure to follow up with them and see how they are doing. Something like a call, text, or other type of message can continue to increase their sense of connectedness and communicate ongoing care and support.
Starting the conversation around suicide is one of the most meaningful and impactful things you can do to support someone you care about. Learning about a loved one’s pain can feel frightening – know that you showing up for them in this way is already huge, no matter what that looks like. Again, support is better than silence. And as a final note, you don’t have to go through this alone either, make sure you are taking steps to care for yourself as you navigate this stressful time.
Additional References and Resources:
- https://988lifeline.org/
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2025). Warning Signs of Suicide. www.nimh.nih.gov. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/warning-signs-of-suicide
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). 5 Action Steps to Help Someone Having Thoughts of Suicide. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/5-action-steps-to-help-someone-having-thoughts-of-suicide
