Tales from Utah Valley: Say no to suicide

Eric Risberg, Associated Press
In this Aug. 3, 2021, photo, a man jogs past a sign about crisis counseling on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
There is hope. As Suicide Prevention Month continues, the paramount message to convey to everyone you know is that there is hope. There is hope for healing, hope for change, hope for connection, hope for bouncing back, hope for help and hope for brighter days ahead.
Live On, Utah’s public-private mental health and suicide prevention campaign, has just launched a suicide prevention training on Instagram. According to Live On Utah, this is the world’s first ever suicide prevention training that is available entirely on Instagram.
“We have utilized Utah experts, but the skills you learn will help anyone anywhere learn the warning signs for suicide, how to have difficult conversations and where to go for help,” reads Live On Utah’s Facebook page.
According to the organization, more than 91% of Utahns know someone who has died by suicide, survived an attempt or experienced thoughts of suicide. This new Suicide Prevention Playbook will hopefully help to decrease that percentage in the future.
The Playbook consists of ten lessons. The first lesson was posted on Sept. 6 on @LiveOnUtah on Instagram. That introductory lesson lists five important things that everyone should know about suicide — that suicide is preventable, how we talk about suicide matters, suicide affects all of us, suicide is complex and you are not alone.

Jenny Kane, Associated Press
A man uses a cellphone in New Orleans on Aug. 11, 2019. People in crisis and those trying to help them will have a new three-digit number, 988, to reach the national suicide prevention network starting in July.
People who are having thoughts of suicide or feelings of hopelessness may feel that they are alone. However, there are many others having similar experiences right now. Learning this may just help someone realize that if others are finding hope and healing, they might find this hope and healing too.
Another part of the training lets us know that asking others for help doesn’t make us a burden. It just makes us human. If you have a feeling that someone may be struggling, may be acting differently than usual, may be withdrawing from friends and family, reach out and ask. “How are you doing? How are you feeling? Is everything ok? Can I help?”
If you, yourself, are feeling hopeless or having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to someone — a family member, coworker, clergy member, friend, neighbor or even someone at the grocery store. “I need some help. I need to talk to someone. I am feeling really down. Can you help me?”
Lesson three from the Suicide Prevention Playbook teaches us how to talk about suicide in a safe way. While it’s important to talk about it, it’s also important to safely share stories and to post about suicide in a responsible way. Let’s make sure that we talk about suicide in helpful ways.
Checking out the Suicide Prevention Playbook at #LiveOnUtah on Instagram today is a great way to help prevent suicide in your community. Other ways include connecting with others, asking how people are doing and watching for warning signs including talking about wanting to die, talking about being a burden, feeling hopeless, displaying extreme mood swings and using drugs or alcohol more often.
Suicide Prevention Month ends on Sept. 30, but we can keep it going all year by educating ourselves, reaching out to others, showing kindness and holding on. Say no to suicide. There is hope.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or call or text 988.
- In this Aug. 3, 2021, photo, a man jogs past a sign about crisis counseling on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
- A man uses a cellphone in New Orleans on Aug. 11, 2019. People in crisis and those trying to help them will have a new three-digit number, 988, to reach the national suicide prevention network starting in July.