By Jack Woodhams, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, York CVS Good Mental Health Project
Suicide prevention is about moving away from silence, stigma and misunderstanding and towards openness, compassion and support.
For Jack Woodhams, our Suicide Prevention Project Coordinator at The Good Mental Health Project, one simple message captures what we can all do:
See it. Say it. Signpost it.
Dr Jack Woodhams
See it
Notice when someone might not be okay.
It isn’t always obvious.
Someone might become quieter, withdraw from others, seem more anxious or frustrated, stop doing things they normally enjoy or simply seem different.
Sometimes there are no obvious signs at all.
People don’t always look like they are struggling. Someone can be working, laughing, looking after their family and carrying on with everyday life while privately finding things incredibly difficult.
That’s why being connected to the people around us and noticing changes can be so important.
We don’t need to diagnose someone or work out exactly what is wrong.
Sometimes, simply noticing that someone isn’t quite themselves is enough to make us stop and check in.
Say it
If you’re concerned about someone, don’t be afraid to ask.
“How are you?”
And if something doesn’t feel right, ask again.
We sometimes worry that talking about suicide will make things worse or put the idea into someone’s head. It won’t. Asking directly can give someone permission to talk about what they are experiencing.
You don’t need to have all the answers.
You don’t need to fix everything.
Sometimes the most important thing you can do is listen.
A conversation doesn’t have to be complicated. It could happen over a coffee, on a walk, at work, at the football or simply through a message saying, “I’ve noticed you’re not quite yourself. How are you doing?”
That small moment of connection could mean more than you realise.
Signpost it
Knowing where someone can get further support is just as important.
You might not be the person who can provide all the help someone needs, but you can help them find it.
That could mean encouraging someone to speak to their GP, helping them access a local service, connecting them with a community organisation or supporting them to access urgent help when necessary, such as Samaritans or NHS 111.
You don’t have to carry the responsibility alone.
Your role might simply be to listen, stay alongside someone and help them take the next step towards the right support.
What I’ve learned from delivering these workshops
Through the Good Mental Health Project, our suicide prevention workshops have taken us into a wide range of workplaces and communities.
We’ve worked with people from different backgrounds and sectors, helping them develop the confidence and skills to have conversations that they might previously have felt unsure about.
One of the most rewarding parts of the work is seeing people’s confidence grow during a workshop.
At the start, people can sometimes be nervous about saying the wrong thing or asking a difficult question.
By the end, they often realise that they don’t need to be an expert.
They just need to be willing to listen, show compassion and help someone find support.
That is a really important message.
Suicide prevention isn’t just the responsibility of mental health professionals.
It belongs in our workplaces, communities, schools, sports clubs, homes and everyday conversations.
Prevention starts with connection
Prevention often starts long before someone reaches crisis point.
It starts with connection.
It starts with people feeling able to talk.
It starts with someone noticing that something has changed.
And it starts with someone being willing to ask.
That’s why changing the culture around mental health and suicide matters.
We need to make it easier for people to talk about how they are feeling without fear of judgement.
We need to give people the confidence to ask difficult questions.
And we need to make sure people know where they can go for help.
What can you do this World Suicide Prevention Day?
You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
This World Suicide Prevention Day, think about someone in your life you haven’t checked in with for a while.
Send them a message.
Ask how they really are.
Listen.
And if they need more support, help them find it.
See it.
Notice when someone might be struggling.
Say it.
Start the conversation and listen without judgement.
Signpost it.
Help someone find the right support when they need it.
Suicide prevention can start with one conversation.
Changing the narrative on suicide starts with all of us.
Jack Woodhams
Suicide Prevention Coordinator, York CVS
Good Mental Health Project