In 2022, the United States launched the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a three-digit number designed to make crisis support more accessible. This development marked a major step forward in suicide prevention, ensuring that people in moments of acute despair could quickly connect with trained counselors. While 988 is a vital lifeline, it is not designed to address the deeper...
Work has the potential to provide purpose, structure, and financial stability. Yet for many people, the demands of the workplace can also create overwhelming stress. When left unaddressed, this stress can spiral into burnout, a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that erodes well-being. Understanding how workplace stress and burnout contribute to suicidal thoughts is critical for both prevention and...
Suicidal energy often feels trapped in the body as much as in the mind. For many people, despair takes the form of heaviness, agitation, or a sense of being disconnected from their physical presence. While traditional talk therapy is essential in addressing suicidal ideation, embodied approaches can provide another pathway toward relief. Movement and dance therapy as an outlet for...
When people think about suicide prevention, they often focus on therapy, crisis support, or medication. These are crucial elements of care, yet the foundations of daily living—sleep, nutrition, and rest—also play an essential role. The relationship between sleep, nutrition, and rest and their impact on suicidal thoughts is often underestimated, but research consistently shows that they influence mood, resilience, and...
Suicidal thoughts often thrive in silence. When emotions remain unexpressed, they can feel overwhelming, isolating, and inescapable. Journaling offers a private, safe, and creative outlet for releasing pain, exploring emotions, and building resilience. Journaling as a tool for suicide prevention does not replace therapy or crisis support, but it provides a powerful practice for cultivating clarity, self-compassion, and...
In recent years, plant medicine has gained attention as a powerful tool for healing trauma, depression, and despair. Many individuals who have faced suicidal thinking turn to psychedelics such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, or other plant-based medicines in search of relief. While these experiences can open profound insights and moments of transformation, the true healing often comes afterward, through the process...
Suicidal despair is not only an emotional crisis but also a crisis of meaning. It can leave individuals feeling disconnected from themselves, others, and any sense of purpose or belonging. While medical treatment, therapy, and crisis resources are crucial, many people find that spiritual practices provide additional grounding and renewal. Spirituality in this context does not mean adherence to a...
Suicide prevention is often thought of in terms of crisis hotlines, therapy, and medication. While these interventions are critical, there is another factor that plays an important role in reducing suicidal despair: boundaries. Healthy boundaries define where one person ends and another begins, allowing us to protect our energy, preserve our identity, and foster relationships built on mutual respect....
Suicide is often framed as an individual mental health challenge, yet the reality is far more complex. Social, cultural, and systemic factors shape who is most at risk, who has access to care, and who feels supported in times of crisis. Suicide prevention through the lens of anti-oppressive practice invites us to consider how structural inequities, discrimination, and marginalization contribute...
Suicide prevention cannot be understood through a single lens. People experience despair differently depending on their identities, histories, and ways of processing the world. Among the most important yet often overlooked perspectives is neurodiversity. Understanding how neurodiversity intersects with suicide risk allows clinicians, families, and communities to better recognize vulnerabilities while also appreciating the unique strengths and needs of neurodivergent...