The way we talk about suicide matters. Asking someone if they are thinking about suicide will not plant the idea of suicide in their mind. Listening to someone can help save a life. For help on talking to someone about suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or contact one of the other resources listed below.
Media reporting on suicide can have a positive or a negative effect on the community, especially after a suicide death. For best practices for responsible reporting on suicide visit reporting on suicide.
Wondering how to talk to others about suicide after a death in your community? See guidance from the National Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
For a discussion about signs to watch for, how to talk with someone you're concerned about, and how to find resources, listen to this interview with Vermont State Police Detective Sargent Aimee Nolan and Dr. David Rettew, child psychiatrist from the Department of Mental Health's Child, Adolescent & Family Unit.
