When Someone You Love Is Struggling: Recognizing the Signs of Suicide and How to Help
Every September, National Suicide Prevention Month serves as an opportunity to spark open conversations, reduce stigma, and share life-saving resources. Beyond awareness, this month emphasizes concrete action: recognizing warning signs, offering empathetic support, and knowing where to turn in times of crisis.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Suicide rarely happens without prior indicators. While signs vary from person to person, common signals include:
Verbal Cues: Expressing feelings of hopelessness, being a burden to others, or having no reason to live.
Behavioral Changes: Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities; giving away prized possessions; or experiencing sudden, extreme mood swings.
Increased Risk-Taking: Displaying reckless behavior or an increased use of alcohol or drugs.
How to Support Someone in Need
If you suspect someone you know is struggling, taking direct, compassionate action can make a vital difference:
Ask Directly: Research shows that asking someone directly about suicidal thoughts does not increase risk; instead, it opens the door for honest communication.
Listen Without Judgment: Offer a supportive, non-judgmental presence. Focus on listening rather than trying to immediately “fix” the problem.
Keep Them Safe: If someone is in immediate danger, stay with them and remove access to potential means of self-harm if it is safe to do so.
Connect to Help: Encourage and assist them in contacting professional help or a crisis hotline.
Immediate Resources & Support
Help is available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or supporting a loved one in need:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat online to connect with a trained crisis counselor. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7 support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, mental health concerns, substance use crises, or other emotional distress.
The Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis volunteer.
The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ Youth): Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678.
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
By fostering open environments where mental health can be discussed without shame, we can help build communities where everyone feels heard, supported, and safe.
At Fully Alive Counseling at Northland, we have experienced mental health counselors who will walk alongside those experiencing suicidal and/or self-harming urges. Connect with us today if you or someone you know would like to talk.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate physical danger or a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment.