September is Suicide Prevention Month, providing an important opportunity to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and remind people that conversations about mental health matter.

Talking about suicide can feel uncomfortable. You may worry about saying the wrong thing, making someone uncomfortable, or not knowing what to do if someone tells you they are struggling.

But avoiding the conversation does not make the risk disappear.

Learning to recognize warning signs, ask direct questions, and connect someone with support can make a meaningful difference.

Recognizing Possible Warning Signs

There is no single behavior that means someone is considering suicide. However, significant changes in a person’s behavior, mood, or communication deserve attention.

Possible warning signs may include:

• Talking about wanting to die or feeling like a burden
• Expressing hopelessness or believing things will never improve
• Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities
• Giving away meaningful belongings
• Saying goodbye in unusual or unexpected ways
• Significant changes in sleep
• Increased substance use
• Extreme mood changes
• Talking about feeling trapped or experiencing unbearable emotional pain
• Researching or making preparations for suicide
• Suddenly appearing calm or relieved following a period of severe distress

Take statements about suicide seriously, even if you are unsure whether the person “really means it.”

It Is Okay to Ask Directly

One common fear is that asking someone about suicide will put the idea into their head.

Asking directly gives someone an opportunity to talk honestly about what they are experiencing.

You can ask:

“Are you thinking about suicide?”

or

“Have you been thinking about hurting or killing yourself?”

Using clear language can feel uncomfortable, but it reduces confusion and communicates that you are willing to have the conversation.

If someone says yes, try to remain calm and listen.

You Don’t Have to Have the Perfect Response

When someone tells us they are struggling, our instinct may be to immediately make things better.

You do not need to have all the answers.

Instead, focus on being present.

You might say:

“I’m glad you told me.”

“I’m here with you.”

“Let’s figure out what support we can get you.”

Avoid debating whether the person’s problems are “bad enough” to feel this way or immediately pointing out everything they have to live for. Emotional pain can make it difficult for someone to see possibilities that may seem obvious to others.

Listening without judgment can help someone feel less alone.

Help Connect Them With Support

If someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts, encourage them to connect with professional support. Depending on the situation, this might include a therapist, physician, crisis professional, trusted family member, or another supportive person.

If there is an immediate risk of suicide or someone has already taken steps to seriously harm themselves, seek emergency assistance rather than leaving the person alone.

In the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential crisis support by calling or texting 988.

Check In Again

Support should not always end after the immediate conversation.

A simple message the next day can matter:

“I’ve been thinking about you. How are you doing today?”

Checking in communicates that the conversation was not a burden and that the person has not been forgotten.

You do not need to become someone’s therapist or take sole responsibility for keeping them safe. Instead, you can be one part of a larger support system.

Mental Health Struggles Can Affect Anyone

People experiencing suicidal thoughts do not always “look” like they are struggling.

Someone may continue going to work, attending school, making jokes, spending time with friends, or posting normally online while experiencing significant emotional pain privately.

That is one reason regular conversations about mental health are so important.

We do not have to wait until someone reaches a crisis to ask how they are doing.

Keep the Conversation Going

Suicide prevention is not limited to one month.

It happens when we take changes in behavior seriously.

It happens when we ask difficult questions.

It happens when we listen without judgment.

It happens when we encourage someone to seek professional help.

And it happens when we create communities where people can talk about mental health before they reach a crisis.

This September, consider checking in with the people around you—not just by asking, “How are you?” but by creating enough space to hear the real answer.

Sometimes, starting the conversation is one of the most important things we can do.