September is Suicide Prevention Month. Here's how you can help.

Co-written by Ren Koo & venus darling

September is suicide prevention month. While talking about suicide can be uncomfortable, it is imperative to spread awareness, information, and resources to support those who are suffering. Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA) believes that the vibrancy of our community is a result of our inherent diversity. Building a strong, connected community is one of the most impactful ways we support each other through life’s most painful moments. In 2022, over 49,000 people died by suicide, 13.2 million seriously thought about suicide, 3.8 million made a plan, and 1.6 million people attempted suicide (CDC, 2022). In Minnesota, suicide continues to steadily rise annually, mirroring larger global trends. In 2022, 835 people lost their lives to suicide in Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Health, 2023). That’s 27 more, complex and vivid lives lost to suicide than the year prior. 

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicide: Call 988 (or 1-800-273-8255) for immediate support.

Prevention starts with ending the stigma around mental health, practicing non-judgment and active listening when faced with suicidal ideation, identifying the warning signs of suicidal ideation, and creating support networks ahead of time so that you and your loved ones can take steps to care for yourselves and each other when a crisis occurs.

Fighting Stigma and Understanding Mental Health

The best way to fight stigma is to prioritize your mental health and educate yourself on mental health conditions, and available resources. Be open to learning and hearing about the everyday experiences of others, and practice non-judgment and compassion when introduced to experiences different than your own. Being mentally ill is not only common but arguably a natural response to the human condition in the modern world. 

In recent years, our understanding of mental health has become more nuanced and compassionate, reshaping how we approach health care, trauma, and our relationship with our bodies. By the mid-2010s, conversations about depression, anxiety, and suicide entered the mainstream, helping to destigmatize these conditions. Early explanations largely focused on chemical imbalances in the brain, emphasizing biology as the root cause. While brain chemistry remains important, our understanding has since expanded to acknowledge the complex interplay of emotional, social, and environmental factors. This shift has allowed for a more holistic approach to mental health care, recognizing that the human experience cannot be reduced to biology alone.

The normalization of therapy and open discussions about mental health have played a critical role in transforming societal views. Therapy like other forms of healthcare is now increasingly seen as an essential tool for personal growth and healing, versus the once stigmatized practice as only for those who were "broken"—empowering more people to explore their mental and emotional well-being, removing the shame surrounding conversations about trauma and stress that were once silenced. Alongside this, a growing awareness of the mind-body connection has deepened our understanding of how trauma and stress manifest physically. Somatic healing approaches now emphasize that emotional pain is often stored in the body, leading to a more integrated view of mental health.

In the past 10 years, stigma around mental health has started to change, but suicide is still the second-leading cause of death for teens and young adults, ages 10-34 (CDC, 2023). These numbers increase when it comes to LGBTQIA+ youth, who are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers (Johns et al., 2019; Johns et al., 2020). 

Building Networks of Support 

Building community is an ongoing effort that calls on us as individuals to reach out to one another. One way we can foster suicide prevention is by intentionally and consensually, forming Pods within our neighborhood. We’ve talked about Pods before and cannot stress enough the importance of building relationships in community to support one another. Relationships Evolving Possibilities (REP) defines pods as:

A group of people who have come together (based on geography, identity, values, a time-specific need, or a combination of the above) to support each other through crises, either unforeseen or anticipated. Pods have agreed-upon parameters and expectations and have established consent-based communication around how to support each other.  

If you are curious about building a pod and learning more about pods, REP provides FREE workshops for you to find your people, or bring in those already in your circle who are interested in learning more about what it means to show up for each other in times of need. Crisis can mean a multitude of scenarios, including but not limited to; interpersonal/physical/state violence, food insecurity, mental health crises, natural disasters, addiction, or not being able to get your basic needs met.

Radical Ecosystem Pods

What To Do When Someone Tells You They Are Suicidal

One way you can be there for someone during one of the most difficult times in their life is by being prepared to support them if they come to you for help. It’s important to practice active listening, with nonjudgement and compassion. Take them seriously and ask questions. The best thing you can do is show up for them when they need you.

It’s difficult to tell someone you love that you are thinking about suicide. Take this opportunity to show them that you are a safe person they can trust and go to for support. When the time is right, suggest that they could benefit from professional help. While you can support them in this vulnerable moment, you are not a trained mental health professional. For step-by-step guidance, with concrete examples of what to do “If Someone Tells You They’re Thinking About Suicide” click the link below. 

If Someone Tells You They’re Thinking About Suicide

Warning Signs of Suicidal Ideation (Source: NAMI)

Comments or thoughts about suicide, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin small — for example, “I wish I wasn’t here” or “Nothing matters.” But over time, they can become more explicit and dangerous.

Here are a few other warning signs of suicide:

1. Increased alcohol and drug use

2. Aggressive behavior

3. Withdrawal from friends, family, and community

4. Dramatic mood swings

5. Impulsive or reckless behavior

6. Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon

7. Giving away possessions

8. Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts

9. Saying goodbye to friends and family

Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one starts to take any of these steps, seek immediate help from a healthcare provider or call 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

Suicide prevention must also focus on ensuring our basic needs are met and protected. We cannot claim to care about preventing suicide while ignoring the systemic conditions that drive people to the brink. In 2020 alone, suicides and suicide attempts cost the United States more than $500 billion. The best way to help someone choose life is to provide them with a life worth living—one where their future holds hope and opportunities. While we speak of "suicide prevention," there is often a lack of steps between merely surviving and reaching a point of crisis. The stressors of poverty, food insecurity, unstable housing, and lack of healthcare access are all significant triggers for mental health struggles. True prevention requires addressing these root causes, and ensuring that people have the safety and resources they need to thrive. 

Please consider donating, volunteering, and supporting the following initiatives that focus on providing basic needs in our community: 

1. Renter Support Fund - The Renter Support Fund seeks to provide some relief to cost-burdened Minneapolis renters through low-barrier cash assistance to improve housing stability by providing direct assistance to cost-burdened Minneapolis renters.

2. Community Aid Network MN CANMN - A Mutual Aid Coalition Located in the Bancroft Neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN

3. Camp Nenookaasi - Indigenous-led Healing Camp in South Mpls inclusive of all unsheltered relatives

4. Southside Harm Reduction Services (SHRS) - Based in South Minneapolis, Southside Harm Reduction Services works within a harm reduction framework to promote human rights to health, safety, autonomy, and agency among people who use substances.

5. Freedom Street Health - Anti-fascist medic collective based in MN. Committed to democratizing health education and resources. Making care accessible and available to all.

6. Community Kitchen - Minneapolis encampment food support: hot meals delivered several days a week. Powered by volunteers & food rescue.

7. Sanctuary Supply Depot - We are a central hub aimed at facilitating the collection and distribution of basic survival supplies for our unhoused neighbors.

8. Streetworks - An outreach collaborative for youth in the Twin Cities.

9. Autonomous Yurt Union Minneapolis - Autonomous Yurt Union builds yurt-inspired structures for unhoused community members across the Twin Cities. We are committed to year-round infrastructural and weather-related support to community members living outside.

10. Twin Cities Food Justice - We work to reduce food waste and hunger in the Twin Cities by being a link between those willing to help and those in need.

Pods are a way for us to show up for each other, while we continue to fight systemic oppressions that harm our communities. Mad Queer Organizing Strategies released a workbook called, “Surviving the Apocalypse Together” at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. In the introduction, the authors wrote: 

Your well-being and your community's well-being are critical to my own.  My survival depends on your survival, my wellness on your wellness, my ability to thrive on your ability to thrive. That's always been true, even if we have a hard time taking ownership of the fact that we can, and do, have an impact with our choices. (Surviving the Apocalypse Together)

Surviving the Apocalypse Together

Surviving the Apocalypse Together is another great resource for those ready to form pods of their own. 

Suicide is preventable. Together let’s work to end stigma, practice non-judgment & active listening, be mindful and educate others about the warning signs of suicidal ideation, and grow a vibrant ecosystem of pods so that we can ensure everyone gets their needs met and support each other through crisis. 

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Additional Mental Health Resources in Minnesota 

FREE NAMI Minnesota Support Groups 

NAMI Connection Support Groups are free, peer-led support groups for adults (18+) living with a mental illness. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences. The groups are led by trained leaders with lived experience. Meetings are 90 minutes long. There is no need to register for in-person meetings.

Southside Harm Reduction

Based in South Minneapolis, Southside Harm Reduction Services works within a harm reduction framework to promote human rights to health, safety, autonomy, and agency among people who use substances.

Children's mental health programs and services in MN

DHS is committed to making sure the right services are available at the right time for children with mental health needs and their families.

To access services, contact your child's health care provider, health care plan, county or tribe for information and referrals.

Touchstone Mental Health

Touchstone Mental Health provides innovative, person-centered services that foster hope, health, and well-being. Our programs connect people with community services, resources, and health care, and we provide ongoing support so they can thrive in their community.

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

SAVE is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the tragedy of suicide through education, training, advocacy, and supporting suicide loss survivors. We fulfill our mission by: 

1. Educating and empowering individuals to identify suicide warning signs and refer those at risk to the support they need; 

2. Providing empathetic assistance and valuable resources to help suicide loss survivors navigate the devastating loss of a loved one;

3. And advocating at both state and national levels—to amplify the voices of those impacted by suicide and create meaningful change. 

4. By offering free educational resources, teaching life-saving skills, supporting suicide loss survivors, and advocating for change, we believe we can make a significant impact and save lives.

Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health (MACMH)

MACMH promotes and pursues optimal mental health from infancy to young adulthood.

At the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH), we provide education and resources to professionals, families, and youth throughout Minnesota and beyond.

Founded in 1989, MACMH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to promote positive mental health for all infants, children, adolescents, and their families.

With a number of new and flagship events and programs, like our new quarterly Community Events, our annual Children’s Mental Health Conference, and Infant & Early Childhood Endorsement®, MACMH is actively involved in the community, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do.

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Citations & Sources:

https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/suicide/documents/suicideprevam24.pdf

https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-month/

https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html

https://jedfoundation.org/mental-health-and-suicide-statistics/

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr024.pdf

https://www.gtcuw.org/get-assistance/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline/

https://www.projectsemicolon.com/

https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/NAMI_SuicidePreventionMonth_Toolkit_2024.pdf?utm_source=website&utm_medium=landingpage&utm_campaign=SPM_2024

https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/common-with-mental-illness/risk-of-suicide/

https://www.nami.org/get-involved/pledge-to-be-stigmafree/

https://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2023/suicide052523.html#:~:text=There%20were%20808%20deaths%20by,patterns%20across%20the%20United%20States.

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About the Authors:

Ren Koo (They/Them) | Communications Manager

Ren has over 9 years of experience working in non-profits and community organizing with a passion for prioritizing collective wellness through colorful, inclusive, and strategic communication implementation & design.

venus darling (He/Him and She/her) | Partner and Program Manager

Drawing from a rich and diverse background spanning education, reproductive justice, outreach, and healthcare, venus exemplifies an unwavering commitment to empower and materially assist community members. Over the past four years, he has actively engaged in mutual aid and grassroots organizations in Minneapolis. Fueled by a profound love for his community, venus's goal is for a revolutionary transformation of systems that genuinely serve and uplift the people.