When people talk about suicide, we often hear the phrase “check in on your strong friends.” This is said with well-meaning intentions of encouraging people to check in on their friends - including those who may appear to not be struggling with anything. 

As this phrase began to circulate, many people asked the same question - “what does it truly mean to check in on someone?”

This September, we have created the #CheckInChallenge for Suicide Prevention Month. It is a challenge that encourages you to check in with your family, check in with your friends & check in with yourself throughout the entire month. 

We put together a list of ideas, both low and high effort, to break the uncertainty that often comes with not knowing how to check in with people. So whether it’s journaling, sending a text message, or meeting up with someone, there is an option for everyone.

When creating this challenge, we realized that when it comes to mental health support, the true barrier is not a lack of care and concern. Instead, it is often that people are not quite sure what to say or how to offer support. 

It is our hope that this challenge will not only provide examples of how to check in with people, but also spark creativity within others to come up with other ways to check-in with themselves and those they love. 

If you are interested in joining us on this journey, follow along with us on social media. Feel free to take a picture, share to your Instagram stories and tag us. We will be resharing them on our end to encourage the rest of our online community to join in as well. 

Want to take your involvement a step further? We also have an entire Action Pack box available for purchase on our online store. The action pack box comes with a Check-In Ringer Tee, Progress Tracker/Art Print, 9 Folded Greeting Cards, 25 H.F.T.D. Resource Cards and Wristbands, and 5 H.F.T.D. stickers and buttons! 

Remember - purchasing the Action Pack box is not necessary to follow along and participate in this Check in Challenge. We encourage everyone to join in with us! 

Outside of this challenge, we also have resources to help you notice the signs that someone may need support, along with tips on how to be supportive. These resources are listed on our website along with our other educational materials. 

Suicide prevention is more than a hotline - it is grabbing a coffee with a friend, it is spending time outside, it is scheduling the appointment you have been putting off. It is an everyday attempt at being proactive and committing to taking action in our own lives. 

We do not have to wait until a crisis happens to be proactive about mental health in our communities. The small things that we do each and every day add up and make a difference. So will you join us and commit to checking in with your family, checking in with your friends, and checking in on yourself?