We face many mental health challenges in our modern world, including addiction, anxiety, depression, and suicide. It would be wonderful if simple interventions and black-and-white solutions addressed and resolved these issues: “If you only do ‘X’ this problem will go away!” Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Human beings, their thinking, and their behavior are complicated. Simple solutions are seldom effective. Over the last few years, the rate of suicide deaths has accelerated and garnered warranted attention.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. Over the last 20 years, the number of people who have died by suicide has surged from 31,484 in 2003 to more than 49,300 in 2022 and 2023. For every person who has died by suicide, there are many more who have made a suicide attempt, made a suicide plan, or seriously thought about suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2021, for every suicide death, there were three hospitalizations for self-harm and eight emergency department visits related to suicide. Those hospital visits are a loud and unmistakable plea for help. 

The CDC has also identified construction occupations as having the highest rate of suicide, with male construction workers 75% more likely to die by suicide than other men. It is estimated that 6,000 total construction workers died by suicide in 2022.

When someone dies by suicide, they leave behind family, loved ones, and friends who share many emotions, including shock, grief, anger, depression, and guilt. The loss is like the ripples caused by throwing a rock in a calm pond; the tragic waves wash over everything in their path. Questions such as, “Why didn’t I know he or she was in such distress?” or “Why didn’t they tell me they needed help?” or worse, “I should have known or seen the signs.” The self-blame that often follows a suicide or a suicide attempt is destructive and misplaced. 

Each year, one in five people will experience a mental health condition. Yet only half of those affected will seek professional help. Of those who do, the outcomes are promising; 80% report significant improvement in their condition. Unfortunately, many who avoid seeking help may attempt to cope on their own, sometimes turning to alcohol or other substances to self-medicate.

Mental health challenges can range from acute issues, such as grief following the loss of a loved one, to chronic conditions like anxiety or depression. Alarmingly, individuals often struggle for up to 10 years before finally seeking treatment or support. In that critical window, the personal suffering and collateral impact on family, friends, and colleagues can lead to many harmful consequences.

Below are several warning signs that someone may be considering suicide. If any of these warning signs come to your attention, take them seriously and consider seeking immediate support or assistance:

If you notice any warning signs, acting and seeking help immediately is essential. Reach out to a mental health professional, call a suicide prevention hotline, or take the person to an emergency room if they are in immediate danger.

There are several things that we know will reduce the risk of death by suicide. 

Reduce stigma, make it OK not to be OK, and ask for help.

Foster healthy work and home environments that honor the individual’s dignity, create meaningful connections, teach coping skills, and promote resilience.

Improve access to all levels of mental health care. Reduce or eliminate barriers to quality care based on best practices and meaningful outcomes. 

Educate all people about the warning signs of mental health distress, strategies for speaking to those you are concerned about, and resources available to help, such as the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.

Create reliable and secure living situations and enhance financial stability.

Reduce access to lethal means, guns, and other weapons, particularly when you know a person is experiencing extreme distress. 

Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. When you feel worried or scared about a family member, friend, or acquaintance, are you able to directly ask if they are considering taking their own life or dying by suicide? 

Asking someone if they are thinking about taking their own life or dying by suicide is difficult but necessary. It is easier to say, “You are not thinking about doing something crazy, are you?” or “You’re not going to do something stupid, are you?” Asking a question in that way makes it clear that you are not comfortable talking about suicide and are not safe to speak with. Being direct conveys that you are prepared to discuss this difficult topic. There are ways you can prepare to have a valuable, productive, and potentially life-saving conversation. Several online education and training resources are available for those who wish to move from interest and understanding to being prepared to act. Two online courses that provide excellent information and training are QPR (Question Persuade Refer) and LivingWorks:

 or QPR is an online course that requires just over one hour to complete. The program enhances participants’ awareness of the warning signs of an individual contemplating self-injury or suicide. When you have identified a person demonstrating behavior or language that suggests a person is at risk for suicide, the program guides what questions to ask, how to ask those questions, strategies to persuade the at-risk person to seek help, and information about resources and services available to provide support. 

 , like QPR, offers a variety of training programs focused on the distinct roles and levels of interest for each person. The “LivingWorks Start” is a 90-minute online program that focuses on recognizing warning signs of a person contemplating suicide and how to connect that person with supportive services to keep them safe. 

If you are interested in a company-wide comprehensive effort to address and prevent suicide, there are several excellent resources:

(CIASP) provides an enormous wealth of information and resources. The website offers a needs analysis checklist, comprehensive guides, action steps, screening tools, toolbox talks, awareness materials, and more. LivingWorks offers free training through the CIASP website. 

is another comprehensive resource developed by many of the same people who created the CIASP website. Although the website’s stated goal is suicide prevention, the path to that goal includes fostering a workplace culture that does not stigmatize mental health challenges. This website provides the materials and resources necessary to achieve that goal.

Bill Heffernan, LCPC, CEAP, is the co-founder of ScreenSafe. Backed by an experienced team, ScreenSafe’s comprehensive drug-free workplace consulting and policy management serves as a gateway to a safer workplace. For over two decades, the drug testing consulting and administration firm has offered customized Drug-Free Workplace Program (DFWP) services, helping clients develop comprehensive programs that suit each organization’s needs.