Five Tips for Suicide Prevention

Suicide is a serious issue that affects people of all ages. According to the World Health Organization, more than 720,000 people die by suicide each year. In addition to this, it was found that suicide was the third leading cause of death for people age 15 to 29 in 2021. Though there is still a stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, it is crucial to talk about these topics and bring awareness to them. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and in honor of this month, here are five tips for suicide prevention.

1.  Recognize the signs. One of the most important steps of suicide prevention is knowing the signs someone may be in a crisis. This could be someone isolating themselves, withdrawing from friends, talking about feeling extreme hopelessness or emptiness, giving away things that are important to them, and expressing suicidal intent. If someone you know is suicidal, offer them support, keep them safe by reducing access to harmful means, help them connect with a professional or crisis lifeline, and follow up with how they are feeling. 
2. Utilize mental health resources. Reaching out for help during a mental health crisis can be difficult– especially if you’re not aware of the resources available. However, the University of Houston has a variety of mental health resources for both students and faculty. Under UH’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), students can get free therapy through their Let’s Talk program and access student counseling services. In addition to this, CoogsCARE has both urgent and non-urgent support options available for students to use. If you’re in an immediate mental health crisis, you can always call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. 
3. Stay connected. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), strong social connections are a major protective factor against suicide. Building and nurturing friendships can greatly benefit our mental health and play a role in preventing suicide. Make it a priority to check on your friends. And remember that support goes both ways, people are there for you when you need it. Take the time to reach out to a friend to see how they are, say hi, and maybe even plan a time to see each other and catch up.
4. Take time for yourself. It’s easy to neglect ourselves and our mental health when we are swarmed with classes, jobs, exams, and student organizations. Ignoring our basic needs can often negatively impact our mental health and lead to depression, anxiety, and burnout. Remember to take breaks and take care of yourself and your mind. Give yourself a spa day, watch your favorite movie, meditate, journal, or spend time with a friend!
5. Break the stigma. There is still a stigma surrounding suicide and mental health. Because of this, students may find themselves hesitant to seek help and be open about their mental health struggles. However, there are ways to break the stigma and create a place where people feel safe to be open about their mental health. A way to do this is by creating a community, like a student organization that offers support for students and raises mental health awareness.

For anyone struggling with suicidal ideation: it does get better. Please stay. You matter to so many people, even if you don’t realize it. There is so much to live for, even if you can’t see it at the time. There are so many people you haven’t met that will love you, so many new experiences and beautiful moments that are yet to come and so much joy to be experienced. 

• mental health
• mental health tips
• self care
• september
• Suicide Prevention
• wellbeing