Help Is Available. Hope Is A Reality.

Promoting Help and Hope

Social isolation, mental illness, and difficult life transitions can play a role in suicide, but we also know that connectedness and a sense of belonging can protect against suicide. There are many ways that you can help yourself or someone else who might be struggling. In addition to seeking help from crisis services and mental health professionals, there are concrete actions the general public can take to keep our family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors safe and well. 

We all have a role to play in supporting someone who is struggling with thoughts of suicide, or grieving the loss of a loved one. Just as we provide support to a person experiencing a physical health issue or hardship, we must do the same to help someone in distress. Simply being there for a person who is struggling can help them feel less alone. 

Below please find some resources that you can use to help yourself—and the millions of people who have suicidal thoughts each year.

Seek Help for Yourself or Loved One

If you are in crisis or struggling with thoughts of suicide, take immediate action:

• If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. 

If you are grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide, the following resources can help you in your journey to recovery:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has resources to help survivors of suicide loss address both their practical and emotional needs.

Support Others Who Are Struggling 

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has resources to help you if you are concerned about someone who is having a hard time or thinking of suicide. Other resources to help you help others are available on our partner's campaign websites. These include:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s #BeThe1To 
• The U.S Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs' Reach Out
• The National Council for Suicide Prevention's Take Five to Save Lives

Hear Stories of Recovery 

Sharing stories of recovery and messages that promote hope can help to build resiliency, encourage help-seeking, publicize prevention successes, and encourage actions that help prevent suicide. As the data shows, stories of recovery can help those who are struggling today. Listen to and share stories of recovery, hope, and survival: 

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's stories of attempt survivors and those who lost a loved one to suicide
• The U.S Department of Veteran's Affairs' stories of veterans
• The Live Through This project's stories of attempt survivors
• Hope Inc. Stories shares stories of recovery