Suicide prevention 2025: A discussion on common stigmas and available resources

SALT LAKE CITY — September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time to remind people of the resources available to anyone who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or who may be worried about someone they love.

According to the Department of Health & Human Services, an average of 685 Utahns die from suicide each year, and more than 5,000 attempt.

Dr. Amanda McNab, a licensed clinical social worker at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, joined KSL NewsRadio to discuss some steps you can take to help keep your loved ones safe amid mental health crises.

Below is a partial transcript of this interview as well as the full podcast.

---

KSL NewsRadio edited the following transcript for brevity and clarity.

HOST HOLLY RICHARDSON: When you lose someone to suicide, it feels kind of like a shock. How quickly can that decision be made for someone? And is it impulsive, or is this something that people plan over time?

GUEST AMANDA MCNAB: We have individuals who are struggling with thoughts about wanting to die by suicide over an extensive period of time. And we have individuals who will act very impulsively. And sometimes it’s both at the same time. Individuals who’ve planned and then all of a sudden that decision is made.

So we can look for the signs. We can look for opportunities to say, “Is this somebody who is struggling and how can we provide them support?” As well as occasionally we do have those moments where it’s like, “Wow, this feels like it came out of nowhere.”

HOST GREG SKORDAS: What can you tell our listeners about those signs prospectively instead of looking back? I mean, what kind of things should and … can people be looking at when they’re dealing with people who may be in crisis?

MCNAB: Some of the big things that we’re looking at are relationship-based. So, are they connecting with their loved ones, family members, or friends? Or are they disconnecting from those individuals? Have they talked about feeling more depressed, feeling more isolated from individuals within those relationships? Are they having different psychosocial stressors, or could there be some financial, housing, school, or physical problems that are going on that might be impacting their ability to function?

We tend to try to hide these things, and we try to make the best of what we can, but even just saying, “Hey, maybe right now it’s not bothering you, but when it does, come talk to me. Let’s have a conversation. Let’s try to figure it out together because you’re not alone dealing with all of these different stressors that happen in our daily lives.”

RICHARDSON: I feel like there has been somewhat of a stigma about asking people if they are thinking about harming themselves. Is that something we need to be careful of when we talk with people?

MCNAB: There has been a huge stigma for a long time that if you say the word “suicide,” you’re actually going to implant an idea in somebody’s head, and that’s just not true.

If you’re asking somebody about suicide, use the terminology, use the words, and you’re not going to implant anything. Likely, somebody is going to be more open to you if you’re asking that question and saying, “Have you had thoughts about ending your life? Have you had thoughts about suicide?” If they have, hopefully, they trust you and feel connected enough to say yes.

SKORDAS: Can you tell our listeners about the 988 crisis line? Is it for individuals who are struggling with suicide ideation, or is it for their friends and family to seek help? Or is it both?

MCNAB: 988 is there for anyone. We get individuals who are calling for themselves. We get individuals who are calling for loved ones. We get individuals who are calling for strangers. People they’ve seen on the street who are struggling or appear to be struggling, because you don’t always know what somebody’s dealing with.

988 is there for consultation, direct support, whatever is needed in that moment in order to help support both the individual of concern and the individual who’s reaching out.

RICHARDSON: If we are living with someone who is having suicidal thoughts, what can we do to make our home safer?

MCNAB: In order to make a home safer, I would really look at limiting access to anything that can be used. We usually talk about access to lethal means.

So if you are living in a home with somebody who is having suicidal thoughts, removing any over-the-counter medications, removing anything that could be used as a ligature, removing anything that is a firearm, being able to limit their access, even if it’s not something that they’ve identified as a means that they would utilize to attempt; we want to make sure that those things are not openly available because of that level of impulsivity that can happen when somebody is having thoughts of suicide.

Everybody who answers the 988 or the Utah crisis line is a certified crisis worker. They’ve gone through the certification process with the state, but they also spend quite a bit of time with my team, learning more about how to validate and support the resources that are available, and really helping individuals to feel heard when they’re calling in a crisis.

Listen to the full interview below:

 

Read more: Mental health resources for parents and students going back to school

---

Suicide prevention resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or exhibiting warning signs, call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, which is answered 24/7/365 by crisis counselors at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. All calls to legacy crisis hotlines, including the old National Suicide Prevention hotline, 1-800-273-8255, will also connect to a crisis care worker at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute.

Additional resources

• SafeUT: Parents, students, and educators can connect with a licensed crisis counselor through chat by downloading the SafeUT app or by calling 833-3SAFEUT (833-372-3388)
• SafeUT Frontline: First responders, including firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, and healthcare professionals, can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUT Frontline app.
• SafeUTNG: Members of the National Guard can chat with a licensed crisis counselor at no cost 24/7/365 by downloading the SafeUTNG app.
• Utah Warm Line: For non-crisis situations, when you need a listening ear as you heal and recover from a personal struggle, call 1-833 SPEAKUT 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The Huntsman Mental Health Institute offers a wide variety of programs and services, including suicide prevention and crisis services, hospital treatment, therapy & medication management, substance Use & addiction recovery, child & teen programs, and maternal mental health services, including birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
• LiveOnUtah.org is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing Utah’s culture around suicide and mental health. They offer resources for faith-based groups, LGBTQ+, youth, employers, firearm suicide prevention, and crisis and treatment options.

Counties in Utah provide services for mental health and substance use disorders. Centers are run by the thirteen Local Mental Health and Substance Use Authorities all across the state and offer therapy, substance use disorder treatment, support groups, mobile services, youth treatment, and more.

These resources and more information can be found here: https://www.uacnet.org/behavioralhealth.

Other community-based resources

• NAMI Utah provides education, support and advocacy for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers prevention programs, public education, support for loss survivors, and fundraising for research.
• Encircle Utah: LGBTQ+ family and youth resource center.
• Utah Pride Center empowers Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.
• The Trevor Project: LGBTQ teen resource center.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health
• Latino Behavioral Health Services
• Center for Workplace Mental Health offers suicide prevention and response for employers.