Suicide Prevention
Every conversation story life matters
Suicide is a complex and tragic reality that affects individuals, families, and communities across the world. By embracing the importance of open conversations, we can make a difference in the lives of those who may be struggling and create a supportive environment where everyone feels safe to seek help. We invite you to be part of this nationwide effort to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and save lives. Together, we can create a world where mental health and substance use disorder care is a priority and help is always within reach.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
11th
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.
49,476
Americans died by suicide in 2022. That is 1 death by suicide every 11 minutes.
1.6 million
suicide attempts occurred in 2022.
46%
of people who die by suicide had a known mental health condition.
Join the Conversation
988 Day
988 Day is a national initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and emphasizing the importance of mental health and suicide prevention.
On September 8, we shared the theme “No Judgment. Just Help.” Visit the link below for materials, tools, and ideas to support your own promotional efforts and activities for 988 Day.
Connect with Experts
This month we partnered with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention for their #BeThere Twitter/X Chat on Monday, September 9.
You can view a recap of the chat here or on our @StampStigma page.
National Suicide Prevention Month Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help you raise awareness for National Suicide Prevention Month. Download the toolkit for ready-to-use social media posts, emails, downloadable graphics, and more!
Resources
Language Guide
Mental health issues and substance use disorders are very often misunderstood. Using person-centered language to talk about mental illness ensures the person is seen as a person first, not as their illness. Our language guide will help you to appropriately communicate about mental illness and substance use disorders and those who experience them.
Stories
At Stamp Out Stigma, we’re on a mission to reshape the way we talk about mental health and substance use disorders. We’re not just collecting stories—we’re amplifying voices that have long been silenced. Join us in turning whispers into conversations, stigma into understanding, and isolation into community.
Take the Pledge
Demonstrate your support for those who may be struggling with mental health challenges and commit to creating a more inclusive and accepting society where everyone is treated with kindness and respect. By pledging to The Three R’s (recognize, reeducate, and reduce), together, we can eliminate stigma.
Additional Resources
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
- Get Help: This page by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is dedicated to providing resources for those who may be affected or have been affected by suicide. You can navigate based on topics such as “I’m having thoughts of suicide”, which connects you to a mental health professional; “I’ve survived an attempt”, which offers ways you can support your recovery, such as being kind to yourself, taking care of your health, finding a mental health professional, and joining a support group; “I’m looking for a loss support group”, which connects you to support groups nationwide; “I’ve lost someone”, which is includes articles, videos, and support groups one can join to heal; “I’m looking for treatment”, which explains what a mental health professional is and how they can help you with their specialized training, resources for general suicide prevention, and support for individuals in marginalized communities; “My loved one has made an attempt”, which is dedicated to supporting a loved one after a suicide attempt, such as ways to be supportive, how to acknowledge your own feelings, and creating a plan for recovery; and “I’m worried about someone”, which offers resources on how to talk to someone who may be in distress and what to do when someone is at risk.
- Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention: Compiled by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), this registry is a library of suicide prevention programs and interventions that incorporate best practices, national frameworks, and culturally relevant approaches, and is intended to be a resource for anyone seeking to prevent suicide, in any setting, with any type of people group.
- Mental Health Tests: Mental Health America offers free online tests that screen for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, postpartum depression, and more.
- My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?: This guide by the National Institute of Mental Health can help determine how much of your symptoms interfere with your daily life and actions you can take to manage them.
- The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project offers 24/7 access to a trained and trusted counselor. If you are in distress or thinking about harming yourself, you can reach out to a trained crisis counselor located anywhere in the U.S. They are available for call, text, or chat. Call at 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678.
- Vibrant: Vibrant offers a variety of resources catered to each individual’s needs. Resources include the NFL Line, a confidential line that connects NFL players, staff, and families with trained counselors; HOPEline, a hotline that offers help for alcoholism, drug abuse, and/or problem gambling; The Veterans Crisis Line provides 24/7, free and confidential support to veterans in crisis and extends their care to friends and family members; and The National Disaster Distress Helpline is the nation’s 24/7 free, hotline providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster; and more.
- 988 Messaging Framework: The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention created a framework for developing strategic and informed messaging about 988, including when to start widescale promotion of 988, how to tailor your 988 messaging, and how to amplify your 988 messages.
- #BeThere: The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention provides toolkits, sample posts, sample emails, and more to ensure information is communicated in ways that support suicide prevention rather than increase risk.
- Framework for Successful Messaging: The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Framework for Successful Messaging outlines issues to consider when messaging to the public about suicide and includes examples of impactful messaging.
- Reporting on Suicide: Reporting on Suicide developed best practices for media and online coverage of suicide, as the way media covers suicide can influence behaviors and encourage help-seeking.
- 988 fact sheet: Learn more about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Mental Health by the Numbers: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has compiled data and infographics on mental health, including breaking down data by various demographics and on topics such as suicide.
- Public Perceptions of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Survey Results (2022): the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance), and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) commission The Harris Poll to conduct a bi-annual survey of adults in the U.S. to understand the public’s beliefs and attitudes about mental health and suicide. A summary of the 2022 report is also available here. The 2024 report is expected to be released soon as well.
- 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: This strategy by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a 10-year, comprehensive, whole-of-society approach to suicide prevention that provides concrete recommendations for addressing gaps in the suicide prevention field for the national, state, tribal, local, and territorial levels.
- About Suicide: The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides important information and resources to help prevent suicide and support those in crisis within your local community, Tribe, state, or territory.
- Mental Health in the Workplace for Leadership Guide: As part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)‘s StigmaFree campaign, this guide offers ways to promote a stigma-free work environment and culture.
- Preventing Suicide: The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides information on where to find help for yourself or someone you know.
- Trevor Project’s Resource Center: The Trevor Project‘s Resource Center offers resources geared towards LGBTQ+ youth. The Resource Center includes LGTBQ+ content that may be helpful for any individual. Topics include sexual orientation resources, LGBTQ+ resources, resources for talking about suicide, and more. There is also an option to search for a specific question or topic.
- TrevorSpace: TrevorSpace is an affirming, online social community for young LGBTQ+ people between ages of 13-24. Individuals have the ability to join a community of 400,000 members across the world, where they can explore their identity, share their experiences, and make friends. The space is moderated and safe for any LGBTQ+ individual.
- Warning Signs of Suicide: The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) put together a list of common warning signs of suicide for youth and adults.
- Warning Signs and Symptoms: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) lists common signs of mental illness in adults, adolescents, and children.
- Zero Suicide Toolkit: You can navigate to different sections of Zero Suicide Institute‘s model on how to operationalize core components necessary for healthcare systems’ transformation towards safer suicide care.