Connectedness involves all Arizonans; be the one who saves a life
Posted
Taiwan Savage
Submitted photo/Bob Bingham
If You Need Help
If you’re struggling and contemplating suicide, help is available. Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, available 24/7. The Veterans Crisis Line for military veterans is 988, press 1. You also can reach the Trevor Lifeline, the only national 24/7 lifeline for LGBTQ youth, at 1-866-488-7386.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. For me, this isn’t just a line on the calendar, it’s a reminder to take action.
Every year, thousands of lives are cut short by suicide, and many families are left with grief and questions. In 2023, nearly 50,000 suicides were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the 11th leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death among those ages 10 to 34.
In Arizona, the need for support is as urgent as ever. Arizona ranks in the upper third of states with an age-adjusted suicide death rate of 19.22 per 100,000 people as of March 2025.
Social isolation, mental illness and difficult life transitions all contribute to the risk. But we also know the other side of the equation: When people feel connected and supported, their risk for suicide decreases. Connectedness and a sense of belonging save lives.
I believe suicide prevention is not just the responsibility of health care providers. It’s everyone’s responsibility. You don’t need a medical degree to notice when someone is struggling and to reach out. We all have the power to ask a simple but life-saving question: “Are you OK?”
That question matters more than people think. Too often, shame and stigma keep people from speaking up about their struggles. When we make space for honesty, we open the door to hope. As a behavioral health care provider in Arizona, I see the difference that timely support can make. Every day, our teams are privileged to be a guiding light for people in crisis and to help them find stability, healing and a renewed outlook on life.
But prevention doesn’t begin inside the walls of hospitals. It happens in homes, classrooms and workplaces. It happens when we check on a friend we haven’t heard from in a while. It happens when we listen to one another without judgment, when we open our hearts and connect on something deeply human. After all, we are all part of the human race, and we need to feel connected.
That’s why this month’s theme, #BeThe1To, resonates so deeply with me. Be the one to ask. Be the one to follow up. Be the one to connect a friend to resources or to take action yourself. Each of us has the ability to close the gap for someone in crisis and ensure they have a safe place.
I also want to emphasize that professional help is available and effective. Suicide is preventable. Evidence-based treatments work. Crisis hotlines, therapy, medication, peer support and community programs all make a measurable difference. It is imperative that we equip our community with hope, resilience and the tools to feel empowered.
People needing help can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, available 24/7. The Veterans Crisis Line for military veterans is 988, press 1. You also can reach the Trevor Lifeline, the only national 24/7 lifeline for LGBTQ youth, at 1-866-488-7386.
Be the one to save a life.
Editor’s note: Taiwan Savage is CEO of Palo Verde Behavioral Health, a psychiatric facility in Tucson, and part of Behavioral Health Connections in the Valley, which offers inpatient, outpatient, adolescent, adult and substance use treatment in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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