Trigger Warning:

This post contains references to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, religious cult trauma, suicidal ideation, and PTSD. Please read with care. In North America, text 988 for free, 24/7 support. Elsewhere, find your local suicide prevention hotline. #YouMatter

Powerful, clear, and straight-up: Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in September matters.

However, here is the hard truth: one month is not enough. We lose hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year. That pain does not stop when September ends. So neither can our caring.

Why year-round?

More than 720,000 people die by suicide every year worldwide. (World Health Organization)
In 2021 the World Health Organization estimated about 727,000 deaths from suicide and noted suicide is the third leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29. (World Health Organization)

In the United States alone, over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023 – that is roughly one person every 11 minutes. (CDC)

Most suicides happen before age 50, and the majority occur in low- and middle-income countries. For every completed suicide there are many more attempts – the ripple effects are huge. (World Health Organization)

Translation: the human cost is massive, global, and constantly happening. Awareness month gives us a focus. But prevention, listening, and real help have to be constant.

What continuing the work looks like
If September opens the door, the rest of the year is where we walk through it. That means steady funding for services, easy access to crisis lines and mental-health care, workplace and school training so people can spot signs, and cultural change so folks can say “I’m not okay” without shame. It means checking in not just on one day, but often enough that someone who is slipping has time to catch a breath and reach out.

Three to five ways to check in on your community and tribe

These are practical. Do one. Do two. Do them again.

1. Send a simple message – not therapy, just presence
   Text, DM, or call with something short and specific: “Hey – been thinking of you. Coffee this week?” Specific invites get higher response than vague “How are you?” Repeating invites matters.
2. Run micro-check-ins in groups
   If you lead a team, choir, book club, or neighbor group, start meetings with a nonjudgmental check-in question: “One word for how you’re today” or “What’s one tiny win?” Give permission for silence. Normalize honest answers.
3. Know your local supports and share them
   Keep quick links or numbers pinned in group chats, community boards, or event pages – crisis lines, local mental-health clinics, women’s shelters, LGBTQ+ supports. If someone is in crisis you can copy-paste help immediately.
4. Offer practical help – not advice
   If someone admits they are struggling, ask what they need – a ride, company at an appointment, help with groceries, or a phone buddy for the afternoon. Practical help lowers pressure and builds safety.
5. Learn how to have the talk before it’s needed
   Take a short, evidence-based training – safe-talk, Mental Health First Aid, or an equivalent local course. Knowing how to ask the direct question about suicidal thoughts and how to stay calm saves lives.

If you are the one who needs hope – short, honest steps
If you are reading this because the light feels far away, this is for you. You do not need to do everything. Do one small thing and keep doing something small.

1. Name one tiny thing that is not unbearable right now
   Maybe it is a warm cup, a text from one person who makes you laugh, or a window with daylight. Say it out loud or write it down. Tiny things add up.
2. Create a short safety list – simple and exact
   Who can you call in the next hour? A friend, a crisis line, your doctor? Make that list now and keep it where you can see it. If in the U.S., and Canada 988 connects to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Elsewhere, check local numbers. (CDC)
3. Use micro-steps to move forward
   If getting out of bed is too much, set a 10-minute task: wash your face, open the blinds, step outside for one breath. Celebrate it. Repeat.
4. Ask for practical support – don’t wait for huge courage
   Text one person: “I am not safe right now. Can you stay on the phone with me until I call a help number?” Many people will step in if asked simply.
5. Reduce immediate access to lethal means if possible
   If you can, move medications, sharp objects, or other dangerous items out of your immediate reach or ask someone trusted to hold them for a while. Small changes can save lives.

A few final, hard truths and a call to action
Suicide is preventable. That does not mean it is simple. It means society needs constant attention to mental-health services, to social connection, to economic supports, and to removing stigma. September gives us visibility. The rest of the year is where the work actually saves people.

If you are able – sign up as a volunteer, fund a local hotline, show up for someone, or learn how to ask the hard question. If you are hurting – please reach out. You are not a burden for asking for help.

If you are in immediate danger or thinking of harming yourself now, call your local emergency number. In the U.S., and Canada call or text 988. In other countries, see your national crisis line – the WHO and local mental-health organizations list options by country. (World Health Organization)

Sources and key references
World Health Organization – Suicide fact sheet. More than 720,000 deaths per year; suicide is a leading cause for young people. (World Health Organization)
WHO – Suicide worldwide in 2021: global health estimates. Details on age distribution and countries affected. (World Health Organization)
CDC – Suicide data and statistics (U.S. 2023 data). Over 49,000 deaths in 2023 – about one every 11 minutes. (CDC)
Our World in Data – global patterns and country comparisons for suicide rates. Useful for understanding differences by region and sex. (Our World in Data)
International Association for Suicide Prevention – commentary on the latest WHO data and the need for urgent action. (IASP)

Need help? Text 988 in North America for free, 24/7 support. Elsewhere, contact your local suicide prevention hotline. You matter.

 You are not alone.