September is National Suicide Prevention Month, also called Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. National Suicide Prevention Week takes place during September, and September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. These observances create space for honest conversations, practical support, and reminders that people can survive suicidal thoughts and find a way forward.
If you or someone near you may be in immediate danger, call or text 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Pride Healing & Recovery Services does not provide emergency services.
Start with immediate support when safety feels uncertain
You do not have to decide whether a situation is “serious enough” before asking for help. If you are thinking about suicide, feel unable to stay safe, or are worried that someone else may act soon:
- Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Call 911 if there is immediate danger or urgent medical need.
- Go to the nearest emergency room.
- Stay with the person, or ask someone trustworthy to stay with you.
- If possible, create distance from anything that could be used to cause harm and involve a trusted adult, family member, or professional.
You can contact 988 even if you are unsure what to say. A trained crisis counselor can listen and help you consider the next step, without judgment.
1. Notice changes without trying to diagnose someone
Warning signs do not look exactly the same for everyone. You may notice a few changes, or someone may not show clear signs at all. The goal is not to label or investigate them. The goal is to respond with care when something feels different, painful, or increasingly difficult.
Possible warning signs include:
- Talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless, or having no reason to keep going
- Saying they feel trapped, like a burden, or unable to cope
- Pulling away from family, friends, school, work, or activities they usually value
- Major changes in sleep, mood, eating, or daily routines
- Increased alcohol or drug use
- Becoming unusually agitated, reckless, angry, or overwhelmed
- Giving away meaningful belongings or saying goodbye in a way that feels concerning
- A sudden change from intense distress to an unexpected calm
These signs do not prove that someone is suicidal. They do mean a caring check-in may be appropriate. You do not need certainty before showing up.
2. Ask directly and calmly
Starting the conversation can feel uncomfortable. That hesitation is understandable: clear, compassionate language makes the conversation more manageable.
Choose a private moment when you have enough time to listen. Begin with what you have noticed rather than making assumptions.
You might say:
- “I’ve noticed you seem more withdrawn lately, and I care about you. How have you really been doing?”
- “You seem like you’ve been carrying a lot. Have you been thinking about suicide?”
- “Are you thinking about hurting yourself or not wanting to be here?”
- “You do not have to explain everything right now. I can stay with you while we find support.”
Asking directly about suicide does not put the idea in someone’s mind. It can reduce secrecy and communicate that they can speak honestly with you.
You do not need to solve the entire situation in one conversation. Listening, staying present, and helping the person connect with support are meaningful actions.
3. Listen without judgment or pressure
When someone shares something painful, your first response matters. You may feel afraid, but try to keep your voice steady. Let them speak without interrupting or rushing to correct their feelings.
Helpful responses include:
- “I’m glad you told me.”
- “That sounds incredibly difficult.”
- “You matter to me, and I’m staying with you.”
- “We can take this one step at a time.”
- “Let’s call or text 988 together.”
Try to avoid statements that minimize, shame, or demand an immediate change in emotion:
- “You have so much to live for.”
- “Other people have it worse.”
- “You would hurt your family.”
- “You need to calm down.”
- “Promise me you will never think that way again.”
- “You are just looking for attention.”
You can offer hope without arguing. Support is more helpful than debate, and connection is more helpful than pressure.
4. Talk with teens in an age-appropriate way
With a child or teenager, use simple and direct language. You do not need to give a long lecture. Start by naming what you see and asking one clear question.
For example:
“I’ve noticed you have not been sleeping and you seem really upset. Sometimes when people feel this overwhelmed, they think about suicide. Has that happened for you?”
Give the teen time to respond. Avoid promising absolute secrecy if safety is involved. You can explain:
“I will respect your privacy, but if I believe you may not be safe, I will involve another trusted adult so we can protect you.”
Parents and caregivers can also involve a school counselor, pediatrician, mental health professional, or another safe adult. Keep firearms, medications, and other potentially dangerous items secured and involve qualified adults in making the environment safer. The focus is protection and support, not punishment.
If a teen is in immediate danger, call or text 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
5. Remember that LGBTQIA+ support should be affirming
LGBTQIA+ people can face increased suicide risk, particularly when they experience rejection, bullying, discrimination, isolation, or threats to their safety. Their identity is not the problem, and it does not need to be changed.
A supportive response includes using the person’s name and pronouns, listening without questioning their identity, and helping them connect with people and spaces where they are respected. If coming out, family conflict, faith-related harm, or discrimination is part of what they are carrying, support should center their safety and choices.
You can learn more about affirming care through Pride Healing & Recovery Services’ LGBTQIA+ counseling resources. For LGBTQIA+ young people, The Trevor Project offers specialized crisis support. 988 remains available to LGBTQIA+ people of all ages.
6. Build ongoing support beyond the crisis
A crisis may pass, but ongoing care can help you understand what contributed to the crisis and create more support for the future. A counselor may work with you on:
- Individual counseling for anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, life changes, or overwhelming stress
- Trauma-informed care that moves at a manageable pace
- A written safety plan created collaboratively with a counselor
- Identifying warning signs, coping strategies, supportive people, and professional resources
- Strengthening routines, communication, and connection over time
- Coordinating with other providers or emergency services when appropriate
A safety plan is not a promise that difficult feelings will never return. It is a practical set of steps you can follow when distress becomes stronger, including who to contact, where to go, and how to ask for help.
For people in rural or underserved parts of Louisiana, telehealth can make ongoing counseling easier to access without a long drive or a local waiting room. Pride Healing & Recovery Services provides outpatient, telehealth-only counseling across the Acadiana region and throughout Louisiana. In-person sessions are coming soon.
7. Make room for grief after a suicide loss
If you have lost someone to suicide, your grief may include sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, relief, unanswered questions, or several emotions at once. There is no single correct way to grieve, and you do not have to carry the loss alone.
Support may include individual counseling, a suicide-loss support group, trusted family or friends, faith or community support, or resources from organizations such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
You may need support immediately, months later, or at an unexpected anniversary. Reaching out does not erase the loss. It gives you somewhere safe to process what happened and how it continues to affect your life.
Counseling support across Louisiana
Pride Healing & Recovery Services is a solo private practice providing outpatient counseling through secure telehealth across Acadiana and all of Louisiana. Services include individual counseling and trauma-informed care for children ages 5 and older, adolescents, teens, and adults.
Care is provided by Scotty A. Arceneaux, MS, LPC #8995, LAC #5137, NCC, AADC.
If you would like to ask questions before deciding whether counseling is a fit, you can request a free 15-minute consultation. Nothing is scheduled or billed before that consultation. Requests are typically answered within 24 hours.
- Phone: (337) 427-7940
- Email: admin@pridehealing.com
- Contact Pride Healing & Recovery Services
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Session hours: Tuesday–Friday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.
For general questions, rates can be confirmed in writing. A sliding scale may be considered case by case.
You can take one steady step today
You do not have to solve everything at once. You can ask one question, send one text, call 988, sit with someone, or schedule a conversation with a counselor.
If you are in immediate danger, call or text 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. If the situation is not an emergency but you know you need support, you can contact Pride Healing & Recovery Services and begin with a free consultation.
There is no shame in asking for help. People do survive suicidal thoughts and crises. Support exists, recovery is possible, and you deserve to be met with respect, privacy, and care.