The content of this document is a part of suicideTALK, a community-oriented program that explores issues in suicide prevention. suicideTALK is a two-hour presentation designed to help make our communities aware that something can be done to prevent suicide.

Suicide and mental health

There are common challenges in promoting a community climate which supports mental health and suicide-safety. With both suicide and mental disorders:

• open talk has been severely restricted by stigma;
• more accepting attitudes are increasingly seen as a key element in encouraging an informed, compassionate response;
• a community-wide approach is needed to achieve better outcomes.

People affected, and those in a position to help, need to sense that “feeling in the air” that nurtures mental wellbeing, supports suicide prevention and invites life-sustaining initiatives. While this vision needs to be realized on a community scale, changes typically begin on a personal level.

A community perspective

The World Health Organization and several nations have developed strategies to enhance mental health and reduce suicide. In all of them, the promotion of attitudes and practices which support wellbeing and safety are emphasized as vital to effective prevention activities.

At a personal level, these prevention activities rely on the willingness of individuals, families and communities to talk openly about mental health and suicide. Concerns about mental health or suicide must be raised openly rather than marginalized or fearfully avoided. Part of this open, direct and honest conversation can explore the common concerns and shared goals for sustaining life links and promoting mental wellbeing. Some elements which might feature in that conversation are discussed below.

Promoting mental wellbeing

Since mental disorders have been clearly shown to increase vulnerability to suicide in some people, measures supportive of mental health will contribute to suicide safety. Finding informal support and professional treatment for those with mental disorders will enhance their wellbeing, strengthen life links and help them deal with problems in living.

Both mental health concerns and suicide safety need to be separately explored and specifically addressed.

While the presence of mental disorders invites particular vigilance about suicide, the absence of a mental disorder does not eliminate risk. Far from it. Indeed, suicide touches a wide range of people in any community.

Strengthening life links

Even when mental health problems are present, it is essential that suicide risk is explored openly and safety addressed directly. Promoting a community, clinic or hospital climate supportive of open, honest suicide talk is a basic standard of care in any mental health setting.