September is Suicide Prevention Month

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and Intermountain Health is emphasizing the importance of recognizing warning signs and offering support. They stress the significance of identifying signs such as increased substance use, aggressive behavior, and withdrawal from social circles. To assist those in need, they provide various resources, including crisis lines and a Behavioral Health Navigation Line, underscoring the crucial role that open and caring conversations can play in saving lives.

What to look for and how you can help if you are concerned for yourself or a loved one

Suicide impacts everyone, whether an individual has experienced suicidal thoughts themselves or they have grieved the loss of a friend or loved one. September has been designated as Suicide Prevention Month, and Intermountain Health wants to help individuals know what to look for and enable people with resources that can help.

Know the warning signs 

While sometimes subtle, knowing the warning signs can help identify a friend or family member – or even yourself – in need. These warning signs may include:

• Increased alcohol and drug use.
• Aggressive behavior.
• Withdrawal from friends, family, and the community.
• Dramatic mood swings.
• Impulsive or reckless behavior.
• Giving away possessions.
• Collecting and saving pills.
• Buying a weapon.

Experts say it is important to check-in with yourself or others and be aware of how you are feeling. Ask questions like, “Have you had thoughts of ending your life?” Asking does not make someone more likely to attempt suicide – and it may actually save their life.

“It can feel uncomfortable or even intrusive to ask someone how they’re doing or if they’ve considered taking their own life,” said Kristy Jones, director of community health at Intermountain Health. “However, by asking the question, we show our family members, friends, and coworkers that we care for them, we see they’re struggling, and we want to support them. These conversations can be the difference between life and loss.” 

Help yourself and others

If you notice warning signs in yourself or others or if someone tells you that they have experienced suicidal thoughts, you can help. National, local, and Intermountain Health-specific resources help address and alleviate the risks of suicide. 

“Sometimes, we experience so much pain, stress, or loss that it leads to thoughts of suicide,” said Kimberly Myers, behavioral health program manager at Intermountain Health. “There are many ways to cope with thoughts of suicide without acting on them. This may include calling a crisis line, using coping skills like exercise or relaxation techniques, reaching out to a friend or loved one, finding a distraction, or seeking care immediately.”

If someone is in immediate danger or is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the suicide hotline at 988, or call 911. 

Intermountain Health has continued to build on the local hotline resource in response to growing behavioral health needs in communities throughout the state. This includes Intermountain’s Connect Care/Behavioral Health Hotline – the telehealth option for anyone in the state to use. 

The Intermountain Behavioral Health Navigation Line, which originally started as a support line during the COVID-19 pandemic, gives Utahns a free resource to talk to someone about behavioral health concerns from low-risk stressors to more complex issues, such as crisis and serious mental health needs. Behavioral health counselors who answer the line can refer people to a variety of resources if they are needed for long-term help. 

If you would like to learn more about behavioral health services or need more resources, visit intermountainhealth.org/behavioralhealth.

If you or a loved one is looking for mental well-being help, contact Intermountain’s free Behavioral Health Navigation Line at 833-442-2211. If someone is in danger of hurting themselves, contact the National Suicide Lifeline at #988.