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Renewed Horizons Counselling & Psychotherapy

Suicide Prevention Month: Starting the Conversation

Writer: Danielle Southall
Danielle Southall
7 days ago
5 min read
Sunset over a calm ocean with birds flying across a glowing orange horizon and a white contrail in the blue sky

A note before reading: This article discusses suicide and may bring up difficult feelings for some readers. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or feel that you may be at immediate risk of harming yourself, please seek urgent support. In the UK, call 999 if you are in immediate danger or need urgent medical assistance. You can also contact Samaritans on 116 123, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Other support services are listed at the end of this article. If this article brings up difficult feelings for you, please remember that you don't have to deel with them alone. Support is available.


September is Suicide Prevention Month, with September 10th marking World Suicide Prevention Day.


Conversations about suicide can feel uncomfortable because of the sensitive nature of the topic. However, talking openly and compassionately about suicide is incredibly important. Having these conversations can help reduce isolation and stigma, while making it easier for people to recognise when they or someone they care about may be struggling and need support.


If this article brings up difficult feelings for you, please remember that you don’t have to deal with them alone. Support is available, and you can find relevant helplines and services at the end of this article.


Why Suicide Prevention Matters

Suicide is a serious public health issue, and Suicide Prevention Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness, educate ourselves and others, and share valuable resources. 


The more openly we can talk about mental health and suicide, the more we can encourage people to recognise emotional distress and seek support when they need it. 


Recognising signs of emotional distress in others can help us provide support at a time when someone may be struggling to ask for it themselves. Open conversations can also help reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, a stigma that can sometimes make it more difficult for people to reach out for help.


This month provides an opportunity for communities, workplaces, schools, and families to learn more about suicide prevention, create safe and supportive spaces, share resources, and consider what they can do to support those around them.


Recognising When Someone May Be Struggling

There are signs that may indicate someone is experiencing emotional distress. Some of these can include:

  • Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities they would usually enjoy

  • Expressing feelings of hopelessness or feeling like a burden

  • Noticeable changes in mood or behaviour

  • Saying they don’t know how much longer they can cope


It is important to remember that experiencing one or more of these signs does not necessarily mean that someone is suicidal. However, noticeable changes in someone’s behaviour, mood, or circumstances can be a reason to check in with them.


Sometimes, simply asking someone how they are doing can open the door to a conversation they may have been finding difficult to start themselves. 


How to Start a Conversation

Starting a conversation about suicide or someone’s mental health can feel challenging. You may worry about saying the wrong thing or feel pressure to have all the right words.


You don’t need to have the perfect words. Simply asking, “How are you really doing?” can be enough to start a conversation.


Sometimes, being there for someone can mean more than finding the perfect thing to say. Give them space to talk and listen without immediately trying to solve everything for them. Take what they are telling you seriously and avoid dismissing or minimising what they are experiencing.


Remember that opening up about suicidal thoughts or emotional distress can be an incredibly vulnerable experience. Responding with compassion and without judgement can help someone feel safe enough to continue talking and seek further support.


Where appropriate, encourage them to connect with someone they trust or with a qualified professional. You can also offer to help them find support.


Don’t underestimate the importance of staying connected. A follow-up message, phone call, or another conversation can remind someone that you care and that they don’t have to face difficult moments alone.


What Not to Say

When someone is struggling, it’s natural to want to make them feel better. However, some responses can unintentionally make someone feel dismissed or misunderstood. 


Phrases such as “Look on the bright side”, or comments suggesting that someone’s problems aren’t serious enough to warrant feeling overwhelmed, may unintentionally make them feel more isolated.


Instead, try acknowledging what they have shared and letting them know that you are there for them. 


You could say:

  • “I’m really glad you told me.”

  • “I’m here for you.”

  • “Let’s find some support together.”

  • “You’re not in this alone.”


You don’t need to fix everything. Sometimes, listening and reminding someone that they are not alone is an important first step.


What You Can Do This Month

Suicide Prevention Month is an opportunity to learn, educate others, and have important conversations that can sometimes feel difficult to start. 


By talking more openly about suicide and mental health, we can help challenge stigma and make it easier for people to seek support rather than feeling nervous or hesitant about reaching out.


Some things you can do throughout this month, and beyond, include:

  • Check in with someone you haven’t spoken to recently

  • Learn how to have a conversation about suicide

  • Share reliable mental health and suicide prevention resources

  • Challenge stigma when you encounter it

  • Support a local or national suicide prevention organisation

  • Make time for your own wellbeing


Small actions can matter. A message, a conversation, a listening ear, or simply letting someone know that you care  can help someone feel less alone. 


Getting Help

There is no shame in asking for help or support. Reaching out is an important step, particularly when things feel overwhelming. 


If you are in the UK and are experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, there are services available that can provide support.



If you need to reach out for support, please do. You are important, and you don't have to face difficult moments alone. 


For longer-term support, counsellors and psychotherapists can provide a safe and confidential space to explore difficult thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work through experiences that may feel difficult or overwhelming. 


Talking about suicidal thoughts can be difficult, but having somewhere safe to express what you’re experiencing can be an important part of seeking support.


If you are struggling, please consider reaching out to someone you trust or a qualified professional.


A Final Thought

You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference. 


Sometimes, prevention starts with noticing, asking, listening, and staying.


Take some time this month to check in on someone you care about. Have the conversation. Listen without judgement. Encourage support when it is needed.


If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts yourself, please remember that you don’t have to face them alone. Help and support are available.


If you’re looking for a counsellor or psychotherapist for support, you can reach out when you feel ready by emailing contact@renewedhorizonscounselling.co.uk or by filling out my contact form. 


Be kind to each other.

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