Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and it's important to bring this issue to light in our own communities.

Talking about suicide is not shameful no matter what we are conditioned to believe, always but especially now as feelings of anxiety and depression may be heightened.

Normalize talking about mental health struggles, anxiety, stress, depression, mental illness, & feelings of hopelessness. It may feel uncomfortable but it can foster connection & save a life. Normalize it in your relationships, in religious spaces, at work, & even w/ your barista

Know that thoughts of suicide, hopelessness, & self-harm are common. Focus on positive & healthy coping skills -- connection with people you love and trust, nature, therapy, meditation, spirituality, laughter, etc & root back into your resilience and how far you've come.

(Also know that not everyone has the luxury of access to positive & healthy coping skills. Ultimately, suicide prevention is rooted in decreasing systemic & institutional inequities, increasing access to care, basic needs, and stability & dismantling cultural and social stigma.)

Understand that symptoms of depression can manifest themselves in different ways. Some people isolate themselves, while others can be struggling with high-functioning mental illness.

For some, depression and mental health struggles may be more likely to be written off as, or conceptualized as, physical issues -- or psychosomatic. There is no one way to be depressed. Ask your loved ones how they are, be observant of changes, & be kind.

Avoid minimizing or debating over people's problems or struggles. Don't be scared to ask directly if a loved one is suicidal. This does not increase their risk, but it can help reduce the stigma/shame & it can increase their chances of seeking professional help & feeling hopeful.

People will only accept and share what THEY accept or share -- we cannot make them do anything, but we can be direct, speak up, have compassion, listen, understand their struggles, take action to increase immediate safety, extend care, share resources, and don't avoid the issue.

Additionally, if you love a person suffering with depression or suicidal ideation, don't forget to take care of yourself, too.

If you are struggling, someone you know is struggling, or you have lost someone to suicide, the @afsp has resources to help on a micro-level, but ultimately, on a macro-level, there's communal, societal, cultural, systemic, and institutional work to be done.