World Suicide Prevention Day: Let’s Talk to Save a Life
By :- Hareesh P V (Research Scholar)& Dr Aswathy Gopi (Assistant Professor)
Department of Psychology, SRM University-AP
September 10th, the world observes suicide prevention day under the theme of “Changing the narrative on suicide”. Established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), this day is observed annually to bring global attention to suicide prevention and awaken stakeholders to act. The campaign, under the current theme, began in 2024 and is thus in itsfinal year, with a call to action to ‘start the conversation’.
Suicide, a term even YouTubers are afraid to use in their videos, as it may affect the monetization and distribution of the content, is a severe threat to society, with its rate increasing every year. According to the WHO fact sheet (2026), nearly 7.2 to 8 lakh people end their lives each year globally, and who knows how many more would have attempted it. This amounts to almost one person committing suicide every 40 seconds, as we converse. Unfortunately, India does not differ much, with a devastating 1.7 lakh suicides as per the last report (NCRB, 2024). WHO states that early adulthood (15-30 years old), the elderly, and specially abledindividuals are found to be more vulnerable and have surrendered their lives.
The major causes of suicide in India are found to be family problems, physical and mental illnesses, followed by drug/alcohol addiction, marriage-related issues, and love affairs. It is quite disturbing to know that the southern states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, are in the top 10 ranks of suicide count (NCRB, 2024). Keeping all these statistics aside, how do we measure the value of each life lost? Behind every count is an individual who had unfinished hopes, dreams, responsibilities, and shattered relationships. We cannot ignore it. They might have left with questions to which they didn’t get the answers.
Barriers to talk
Silence was never the method for preventing suicide. But people often chose to be silent about this topic. A few barriers are stigma, shame, cultural taboos, fear of judgment, prevailing myths, and lack of mental health literacy. Society tends to keep a negative attitude towards those who attempt suicide, and this creates a fear of discrimination in the affected person. The normalization of women sharing their problems, but men not sharing or listening to each other, is a simple addition to the higher suicide rate among males. Holding on to pain and suffering was never the characteristic of a ‘strong person’. Parents have been seen advising their children to build more tolerance to difficult situations and become stronger; at what cost, though?
People experiencing emotional distress may fear being labelled weak, selfish, or incapable. Families may hesitate to discuss suicide because they fear social judgment. The myth that asking someone about suicidal ideation can trigger a suicide attempt costs many lives that perhaps could have been saved with a conversation. Poor mental health literacy leads to not being able to understand the cues that are expressed by an individual with suicidal thoughts. They fail to recognize the persistent feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, which could be eradicated with professional mental health support (Hirschmiller et al., 2025; Wyllie et al., 2025).
Changing the narrative
Before changing the societal beliefs and attitudes, we need to start with ourselves. Changing the narrative on suicide is not about glorifying it or taking it in a casual sense. It is the change from asking ‘How are you?’ to ‘Are you okay?’, from ‘How was your day?’ to ‘I am here to listen’. We can attain mental health literacy and understand the sudden changes in the behavior of close ones. A person who suddenly becomes joyful and kind to everyone sounds very positive; however, it could also be them trying to end everything in a good note, according to them. It would not hurt to approach them with empathetic concern.
Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, have an important role in ensuring the mental well-being of the young generation. They navigate through academic pressure, uncertainty about careers, relationships, social expectations, and the challenges of growing up. Teachers can identify those who isolate themselves from others and enquire about their mental health. Workplaces must treat mental health as an inevitable need for employees. When an employee approaches the higher authorities with concerns about stress and anxiety, the matter needs to be taken care of with utmost importance (Nature Mental Health, 2025).
Families also need to support individuals rather than putting pressure on them. A person struggling with mental health should not be made to feel that seeking help is a failure. Help them recognize that asking for help is a symbol of courage,and accessing professional care should be regarded as normal healthcare.
Social media, journalists, and news organizations have a duty to inform the public without sensationalizing tragedy. Every piece of information provided in the media, such as headlines, photographs, language, and the amount of detail provided, can influence how audiences understand suicide. Treating tragedies as an opportunity to increase viewership should stop. The media must preserve dignity and focus ondirectingthose in need to seek professional support.
If you notice someone who appears to be struggling with emotions, be a friend, be human, and reach out to them. Not everyone might be on the verge of suicide, but if you could save one life, it is always worth the effort. Be more willing to listen than to force others to talk. Having the hope that tomorrow can be different from today can keep a struggling individual moving forward.
Along with raising the slogan and posting hashtags, sit with the one who needs a listener. Make it easier for your fellow beings to seek support.
