September is Suicide Prevention Month, an opportunity to bring greater awareness to suicide, reduce the stigma that can make it difficult to ask for help, and pay closer attention to the mental health of the people we care about.

The World Health Organization’s theme for World Suicide Prevention from 2024 through 2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” with the call to action “Start the Conversation.” The campaign encourages more open and compassionate conversations about suicide, while challenging the misconceptions that often surround it.

For families and communities across New Jersey, starting the conversation can happen in ordinary moments. It might mean checking in with a friend who has stopped returning calls, listening when your teenager tells you they feel overwhelmed, or asking a loved one how they are really doing after a difficult loss or major life change.

Talking about suicide can feel uncomfortable, especially when you are unsure of what to say. What matters most is being willing to notice, ask, and listen.

Recognizing When Someone May Be Struggling

There is no single way a person experiencing suicidal thoughts will behave. Some people will talk openly about how they feel, while others may become quieter or begin acting differently.

Warning signs can include:

• Talking about feeling hopeless, trapped, or like a burden

• Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities they usually enjoy

• Significant changes in mood, sleep, or behavior

• Increasing their use of alcohol or other substances

• Giving away meaningful belongings or saying unexpected goodbyes

• Talking or writing about death or suicide

• Taking unusual or dangerous risks

• Experiencing emotional pain that seems overwhelming

A single change does not necessarily mean that someone is considering suicide. Pay attention to patterns, especially when someone you know well does not seem like themselves.

Concern is enough of a reason to check in.

Starting a Conversation About Suicide

It is common to worry about saying the wrong thing when someone you care about is struggling. You do not need to plan exactly what you are going to say before checking in with them.

Start with what you have noticed. Maybe they have been quieter or more withdrawn lately, or you know they have been dealing with a loss, divorce, financial stress, or another difficult situation. Ask how they have been doing and give them time to answer.

As they talk, listen without minimizing what they are feeling or immediately trying to solve the problem. They may need time to put their experience into words, especially if they have been keeping it to themselves.

If you are concerned that someone may be thinking about suicide, ask them directly. If they tell you they are having thoughts of suicide, take what they say seriously and help them connect with immediate crisis support. When possible, stay with them while they get help. If they are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Resource: How to Talk (and Listen) to Someone Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts article by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Support Does Not Have to Begin With a Crisis

Suicide prevention also includes paying attention to mental health concerns earlier.

Depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, loneliness, relationship problems, financial pressures, work stress, and major life changes can affect people in different ways. Sometimes there is a specific event behind what someone is feeling. Other times, a person may only know that daily life has become harder than it used to be.

Therapy can provide a private, nonjudgmental place to talk about those experiences and better understand what has been weighing on you.

There is no requirement to have everything figured out before making an appointment. Some people come to therapy knowing exactly what they want help with. Others begin with a feeling that something is off, they are exhausted from trying to manage on their own, or the ways they usually cope are no longer helping.

Both are valid reasons to reach out.

Making Mental Health Conversations More Common in New Jersey

The WHO’s call to “Start the Conversation” is especially relevant when we think about what suicide prevention looks like beyond awareness campaigns.

It happens within families when mental health is treated as something people can discuss without shame. It happens when friends continue checking in instead of assuming someone wants to be left alone. It happens when parents take changes in a child or teenager seriously, and when adults recognize that they are allowed to ask for help themselves.

These conversations will not always be comfortable, and you do not need to become someone’s therapist in order to care about what they are going through. You can listen, take their feelings seriously, and help them find the appropriate level of support.

Suicide Prevention Month gives us a reason to talk about these issues in September. The goal is to make those conversations easier to have throughout the rest of the year, too.

Suicide and Crisis Resources in New Jersey

Someone experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis needs appropriate, immediate support.

• Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Lifeline provides free, confidential crisis support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• If someone is in immediate or life-threatening danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

• New Jersey parents and caregivers can also contact PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624 for information about behavioral health services available to eligible children, youth, and young adults.

Ongoing therapy serves a different purpose from emergency and crisis services. Counseling can provide continued care for concerns such as depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, stress, relationship difficulties, and other experiences affecting emotional well-being.

When You Are Ready to Talk

You might be reading this article because you are worried about someone you love. You might also recognize some of these feelings or changes in yourself.

If life has become harder to manage, you do not have to wait for a specific event or a crisis before talking with a therapist.

At Mind, Body, & Soul Therapy & Counseling, we work with individuals throughout New Jersey who are navigating a range of emotional and mental health concerns. Therapy is collaborative, and what you talk about depends on what has been happening in your life and what you need from the process.

If you are considering therapy, you are welcome to contact Mind, Body, & Soul Therapy & Counseling to learn more about our therapists and services.

Schedule an Appointment

Mind, Body, & Soul Therapy & Counseling does not provide emergency or crisis services. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in immediate danger, call 911, call or text 988, or go to your nearest emergency department.

Mind, Body, & Soul Therapy & Counseling also offers telehealth services to clients throughout Pennsylvania.