Suicide is one of those words that stops us in our tracks. Often, we treat it tenderly — acting like saying it too loudly will inspire someone to do something awful. But the truth is that not talking about suicide is what actually increases the chance a person with suicidal thoughts will act on them.

So how do you have such a loaded conversation? Well, it helps to get advice from people who've been there before.

September is Suicide Prevention Month and in recognition of that goal, we reached out to the experts on dialoguing about difficult mental health topics - an organization called Hope for the Day.

Hope for the Day is a non-profit movement empowering conversations on proactive suicide prevention and mental health education. While based in Chicago, their resources are global. Their whole approach focuses on peer-to-peer led conversations that are guided by clinical oversight. It's incredibly effective. So today, I'll speak with five members of their team about tools, programs, and mindsets that can help prevent suicide in the communities we love.

Also, be sure to check out our resources list below for an abundance of ways to get the help you or a loved one may need.

Resources:

• Hope for the Day's Website: www.hftd.org
• A searchable, international list of resources for suicide prevention and mental health help: www.hftd.org/find-help
• The Things We Don't Say Program: www.hftd.org/get-educated/learn-more
• Project R.E.D. Team: www.hftd.org/red-team
• Identity & Orientation Resources: www.hftd.org/lgbtq
• Proactive Workplaces Program: www.hftd.org/proactive-workplaces
• Free Live Educations via Zoom or In-Person: www.hftd.org/events
• E-Learning On-Demand Education: www.hftd.org/e-learning/requestform

Emergency Resources:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Dial 988
• Mental Health Emergencies: Dial 911 and say, "I need an ambulance, at this address, for a mental health crisis."

Our Show's Resources:

• Our Website: www.mentalnotepodcast.com
• Free mental health assessment: (877) 850-7199
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Dial 988