Over 700,000 people die by suicide each year. Together we can work to prevent suicide. Here are a few ways to take action this Suicide Prevention Month.

Get Educated

Proactive suicide prevention starts with a conversation. Learning about the best ways to facilitate and start that conversation is a great way to help you and your community shatter the silence around our mental health.

Hope for the Day’s The Things We Don’t Say education program provides the necessary tools to take action on your personal mental health and be supportive to your peers. This peer-led clinically backed education empowers people to use those tools and seek out resources before mental health challenges negatively impact lives.

You can register for The Things We Don’t Say Zoom education here. You can also learn the same vital information at your own pace with our e-learning program.

If you want to expand your educational horizons beyond Hope for the Day, Mental Health First Aid is a helpful resource to learn about assisting someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a wonderful way to help yourself and your community. Not only does the organization or group get some extra support, you get to take time away from work and screens and immerse yourself in the community.

Hope for the Day accepts volunteers from all over the country to help us accomplish our proactive suicide prevention projects. Our volunteers allow us to continue to attend a wide variety of outreach events such as music festivals, street fairs, conventions and more to meet people where they’re at. You can sign up to volunteer with us here.

If you’re already on our volunteer list or are just looking for additional opportunities, there are countless other organizations that could use your help. Try to find one that’s in your area and piques your interest.

Donate

Maybe you don’t have the capacity to volunteer your time and energy right now and that’s okay. So many organizations could use monetary support just as much as volunteer support. You can donate to Hope for the Day here.

Here are some other organizations that are working to support community mental health and prevent suicide:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• National Sexual Assault Hotline

• Trans Lifeline

• The Trevor Project

• National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

• Melanin & Mental Health

• Therapy for Queer People of Color

Find Help & Resources

Everyone deserves to know that there’s help available when they need it. Hope for the Day’s Resource Compass is one tool used to locate those resources.

The Resource Compass includes not just mental health resources but a variety of social services. From food security to legal help and housing assistance, you can find the help that you need in and around your zip code.

Check in with Yourself & Those Around You

Last but certainly not least, it’s important to take some time for yourself — whatever self-care means to you. 

Sleep in and get some much needed rest. Wake up early and enjoy some quiet time before the day starts. Call that friend you’ve been meaning to talk to recently. Clean your room, go for a walk, play some video games, or, as cliche as it is, take a bath. 

If you’re in the mental space to do so, check in with your loved ones. It doesn’t have to be an intense conversation about deep feelings and thoughts to be valuable. Some quality time and a few laughs might be all it takes to let someone know they’re loved and appreciated.