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If You Need Help Right Now

If you are thinking about suicide or are in emotional distress, help is available right now, free, 24 hours a day.

TRUSTED resources

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CHARLOTTE, NC 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 

some warning signs

  • Talking about wanting to die, or feeling like a burden to others

  • Expressing hopelessness or feeling trapped

  • Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities they used to enjoy

  • Increased use of alcohol or drugs

  • Giving away prized possessions

  • Noticeable changes in sleep, mood, or personality

  • Talking or joking about death

  • A previous suicide attempt

  • Risk taking or dangerous behavior

  • Loss of interest in future plans

OARS : SUICIDE PREVENTION TOOL

OBSERVE

Observe their words. behaviors, and mood. (Trust your gut if

something feels off!)


ASK

If you think they're suicidal, ask boldly, "Are you thinking about

suicide?"

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REFER

Refer if they say, “yes,” get them to help. Do not leave them by
themselves. “We can talk to them together, but who would you
talk to?” (text or call 988, trusted family, a therapist or doctor,
emergency room).

​

SUPPORT

You know this person, so continue to show care/support during

and after treatment. “How have you been feeling?” “Want to grab

coffee?” “Want to come over andwatch the new episode on

Sunday night?”

dispelling the stigma

Stigma is when someone is viewed negatively because of a trait that is seen as a disadvantage, including a mental health struggle. It remains one of the biggest reasons people do not seek help.

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Decades of misunderstanding have created untrue stereotypes that people with mental illness are dangerous, unpredictable, or weak. These beliefs lead to real discrimination, and the fear of being judged keeps many people silent when they need support most.

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Language matters here too. Do not say someone "committed suicide." That phrase comes from a time when suicide was treated as a crime, and "committed" still implies criminality and shame. Instead, say someone died by suicide, or lost their life to suicide.

how to reduce the stigma

  • Educate yourself and others

  • Talk openly about mental health

  • Pay attention to the language you use

  • Show compassion instead of judgment

  • Be honest about your own mental health journey, if you're comfortable doing so

  • Get involved in a program like ours, or one in your own community

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