Question

1. What are two of the signs of suicide?

2. What are two things you might do to help someone who is contemplating suicide?

3. What local and/or community resources could you recommend to someone who is experiencing mental health issues, such as depression? How might access to these resources help to reduce the stigma around mental health disorders?

4. What are two ways you can help friends and family members avoid making unhealthy decisions (related to depression), like abusing drugs, alcohol, and/or nicotine?

Answer 1

1) Two signs of suicide
- Talking about wanting to die or to hurt/kill themselves (e.g., “I wish I were dead,” “I can’t go on”).
- Withdrawal and major behavior changes (withdrawing from friends/family, giving away possessions, increased substance use, sudden mood changes or increased hopelessness).

2) Two things you might do to help someone contemplating suicide
- Ask directly and listen nonjudgmentally: “Are you thinking about suicide?” Asking doesn’t increase risk. Let them talk, stay calm, validate feelings, and show you care.
- Get them immediate help and reduce access to means: If they’re in immediate danger, call emergency services or a crisis line and stay with them if safe. If not immediate, help connect them to a mental-health professional, a trusted person, or a crisis service and remove or secure firearms, pills, or other means.

3) Local/community resources you could recommend and how access reduces stigma
Examples of resources:
- Crisis hotlines (in the U.S.: call or text 988; many countries have local crisis/samaritan lines).
- Community mental health centers and federally qualified health centers.
- Therapists/psychiatrists (private practice, community clinics), primary-care providers for initial assessment.
- Peer-support and recovery groups (NAMI support groups, SMART Recovery, AA/NA where relevant).
- School or university counseling centers, employee assistance programs (EAPs), faith-based counseling services.
- Online directories and resources (NAMI, SAMHSA treatment locator, Psychology Today) and local nonprofit mental-health organizations.

How access helps reduce stigma:
- Visibility and availability normalize help-seeking and show mental health care is routine medical care.
- Peer groups and public education programs share lived experiences, which reduces shame and myths.
- Community-based services and outreach make support culturally and locally relevant so people feel understood rather than judged.

4) Two ways you can help friends/family avoid unhealthy choices (like substance use)
- Encourage and support healthy coping and treatment: help them connect with therapy, support groups, or medical care; join them in healthy activities (exercise, hobbies), and encourage routines that improve mood and resilience.
- Reduce access and avoid enabling: don’t provide or tolerate substances in their presence, help remove or secure substances from the home, set clear boundaries about what you will and won’t do, and gently encourage accountability (e.g., attending appointments, sticking to treatment plans).

If someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves, call emergency services or a crisis line right away (in the U.S. call/text 988). If you want, tell me your city or country and I can list specific local resources.