• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • May 9, 2025

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Together, We Can Change the Narrative Around Suicide

September 28, 2019

By Karen Johnson
Senior Vice President, Clinical Services and Division Compliance

Officer Behavioral Health Division Universal Health Services, Inc.

Karen Johnson

September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for ALL of us – Families, Teachers, Clinicians, Nurses, Clergy and Religious Leaders, Elected Officials, Police Officers, Firefighters, Policymakers, Employers, etc. – to play a vital role in awareness and prevention.

It’s important that we all commit to changing the narrative about suicide in a manner that promotes hope, resiliency, connectedness and recovery. It takes courage to ask if someone needs help but that simple question could save a life.

Studies show that 50% of Americans have identified barriers that stop them from trying to help someone at risk. Some people fear that they would say or do something to make things worse rather than better.

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and its many national and local community resource partner organizations suggest taking these 5 steps:

1. Ask. Asking the question “Are you thinking about suicide?” communicates that you are open to speaking about suicide in a non-judgmental way. Asking in this direct, unbiased manner, can open the door for effective dialogue about their emotional pain. Other questions to ask include “How do you hurt?” and “How can I help?” Do not promise to keep their thoughts of suicide a secret.

2. Keep them safe. After the “Ask” step, it’s important to establish immediate safety. Do they have a specific, detailed plan? What sort of access do they have to their planned method? Knowing the answers to these questions can tell a lot about the imminence and severity of danger the person is in. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) can always act as a resource during these moments as well if you aren’t entirely sure what to do next.

3. Be There. This could mean being physically present for someone, speaking with them on the phone when you can, or any other way that shows support for the person at risk. An important aspect of this step is to make sure you follow through with the ways in which you say you’ll be able to support the person – do not commit to anything you are not willing or able to accomplish. Being there for someone with thoughts of suicide is life-saving. Increasing someone’s connectedness to others and limiting their isolation has shown to be a protective factor. By “being there,” we have a chance to alleviate or eliminate some of these significant factors.

4. Help them Connect. Helping someone connect with ongoing supports (like the Lifeline, 800-273-8255) can help establish a safety net for those moments they find themselves in crisis. Additional components of a safety net might be connecting them with supports and resources in the community. Are they currently seeing a mental health professional? Is this an option for them? Research suggests that individuals who called the Lifeline were significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed and more hopeful by the end of calls handled by trained counselors.

5. Follow Up. After your initial contact and after you’ve connected them with the immediate support systems they need, make sure to follow-up to see how they are doing. The follow-up step is a good time to check in to see if there is more you are capable of helping with or if there are things you’ve said you would do and haven’t had the chance to get done for the person. This type of contact can continue to increase their feelings of connectedness. Studies have shown a reduction in the number of deaths by suicide when following up was involved with high risk populations.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

The Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. Additional resources to utilize:

• Trevor Lifeline, the only national 24/7 lifeline for LGBTQ youth is 1-866-488-7386.
• For U.S. Military Veterans, call 1-800-273-8255, press 1 to speak with the Veterans Crisis Line.

We want our community to know there are actions that can help. It takes all sectors of our society to turn the tide of suicide.

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Karen Johnson, Suicide, Suicide Prevention

Read More - Related Articles

  • What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?
  • What Do The Lonely Do at Christmas?
  • Milwaukee County Sees Rise in Suicides in Black Communities
  • Boldt Construction’s Gatekeeper Program Provides Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Assistance
  • Milwaukee County Takes Measures on Suicide Prevention
Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On X
Follow Us On X

Editorials

Lakeshia Myers
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi formerly known as Dr. Ramel Smith

Journalists

Karen Stokes

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

David Crowley
Cavalier Johnson
Marcelia Nicholson
Governor Tony Evers
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2025 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.