A change in someone’s behavior may be easy to dismiss at first. They may withdraw from people they usually spend time with, talk about feeling hopeless, take unusual risks, or simply seem unlike themselves. During Suicide Prevention Month, the message is worth repeating: recognizing possible warning signs and knowing how to respond can help connect someone with support when it matters most.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time to increase awareness, encourage open conversations, and make reliable resources easier to find. In Kansas City and communities throughout the Midwest, The McCallister Law Firm joins individuals, families, health professionals, and organizations in drawing attention to suicide prevention and the importance of looking out for one another.
Know the Warning Signs of Suicide
There is no single behavior that can tell you with certainty that someone is considering suicide. However, certain changes can signal that a person may need help, particularly when the behavior is new, has become more pronounced, or follows a painful event, loss, or significant change.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health’s guidance on suicide warning signs, signs can include talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless or trapped, believing that one is a burden to others, or experiencing unbearable emotional or physical pain. Behavioral changes can also matter.
Someone who is struggling may begin withdrawing from family and friends, giving away possessions, saying goodbye, taking dangerous risks, using alcohol or drugs more frequently, or experiencing significant changes in sleeping or eating habits. Extreme mood swings or making plans for suicide are also serious warning signs.
The goal is not to diagnose another person based on a checklist. It is to notice meaningful changes and take them seriously.
What Can You Do If You Are Concerned About Someone?
You do not need to be a mental health professional to start a conversation. If someone’s words or behavior concern you, asking directly whether they are thinking about suicide can be an appropriate first step.
People sometimes worry that asking about suicide will put the idea into someone’s mind. The National Institute of Mental Health states that research does not support that concern. It's five recommended action steps for helping someone who may be considering suicide are straightforward: ask, be there, help keep the person safe, help the person connect with support, and follow up.
Listening matters, too. You do not have to find the perfect words or immediately solve the problem. Giving someone space to speak without judgment and helping that person reach appropriate support can be more useful than trying to talk them out of what they are experiencing.
If someone tells you that they intend to die by suicide, do not leave the person alone or promise to keep the disclosure secret. Seek immediate help.
Make 988 a Resource You Know Before You Need It
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support to people experiencing suicidal crisis or emotional distress throughout the United States. Call or text 988 to connect with a crisis counselor. If a situation is immediately life-threatening, call 911.
You do not have to wait until a situation reaches its most serious point to use 988. The service is also available to people experiencing emotional distress and those concerned about someone else.
Knowing where to turn before a crisis can remove one obstacle when quick action matters. Saving 988 in your phone and sharing it with family members can make the resource easier to access when it is needed.
Supporting Someone Should Not End with One Conversation
Reaching out once is valuable, but continued contact can matter. Someone who has experienced a crisis may still benefit from hearing from friends and family after the immediate situation appears to have passed.
That can be as simple as calling, sending a message, spending time together, or asking how the person is doing and listening to the answer. It can also mean helping the person stay connected with professional treatment and other sources of support.
Suicide prevention is not about expecting friends or relatives to assume responsibility for another person’s mental health. It means recognizing when something may be wrong, taking concerns seriously, and helping create a path to appropriate assistance.
Suicide Prevention Is a Community Effort
Suicide Prevention Month offers a reason to talk about a subject that can otherwise remain unspoken. Those conversations can happen in families, workplaces, schools, health care settings, and throughout the community.
They also provide an opportunity to learn before an emergency occurs. Knowing common warning signs, understanding that it is appropriate to ask directly about suicide, and remembering 988 are practical steps almost anyone can take.
Legal Support When Serious Injury or Loss Raises Questions
Founded in 1996, The McCallister Law Firm represents people who have suffered serious injuries and families who have lost loved ones in circumstances involving the negligence or wrongdoing of others. Founder Brian F. McCallister has more than three decades of legal experience representing individuals and families in cases involving catastrophic injury and death.
Legal help is not a substitute for crisis intervention, counseling, medical care, or other mental health services. When an injury or death also raises questions about another party’s responsibility, however, the firm can help families understand the legal issues involved and the options available to them.
If you need immediate emotional or crisis support, call or text 988. If you are dealing with a serious injury or loss that raises questions about your legal rights, contact The McCallister Law Firm to learn how its Kansas City personal injury and wrongful death team can help you understand your options.
