Suicide prevention: Building community saves Arizona lives

Bryan Gest

Submitted photo

If You or Someone You Know Needs Help

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. If you believe there’s immediate danger, call 911 or go to an emergency room.

If you need to talk, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Conversations are free and confidential. Visit 988lifeline.org for more information.

Public safety

Gilbert high school athletes team up to record life-saving videos

teen safety

East Valley panels: Have the tough conversations

Community

Valley construction industry tackles high suicide rates among workers

Opinion

Mental health is a workplace safety issue — let’s treat it like one to prevent suicide

Every 11 minutes, someone in the United States dies by suicide. It is among the top five causes of death for people ages 10 to 44, and the suicide rate among young people ages 10 to 24 has climbed a staggering 60% since 2011. These are not just numbers; they are friends, colleagues, neighbors and loved ones.

What makes this more tragic is that suicide is preventable. With timely access to mental health care, strong community connections and open conversations, lives can be saved.

The power of social connection

Social connection has a significant protective factor. Feelings of isolation and the sense of being a burden are common among people at risk for suicide. By fostering environments of belonging and nonjudgment, whether in our families, workplaces or communities, we create spaces where people feel safe to speak up and seek help.

Risk in the workplace: Hidden burdens

One risk factor that too often flies under the radar is how our jobs affect mental health. While we often think of suicide prevention as a matter of individual resilience, the reality is that workplace culture and systemic factors play a significant role.

Some of the highest suicide rates are seen in industries like construction, manual labor, food service and health care. These professions often involve long hours, irregular schedules, physical strain and often limited access to mental health resources. The hidden burdens of these jobs — when combined with financial stress, stigma and social isolation — can put workers at greater risk.

That’s why workplace leadership matters. When leaders talk openly about mental health, integrate behavioral health best practices into policies and values and provide staff trainings that include warning signs and myth-busting, they send a powerful message: you are not alone, and help is available.

Even something as simple as prominently posting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can make a difference.

Mental health services save lives

It should come as no surprise that a community’s mental health system also plays a critical role. Services like individual therapy, psychiatry and Arizona’s crisis response system — accessed through 988 — save lives every day.

Providers like Denova Collaborative Health know how early intervention can turn the tide. That’s why we prioritize same-day and next-day appointments to ensure people can access care when they need it most. That responsiveness helps connect patients to the services they need before despair escalates into a crisis.

What each of us can do

Preventing suicide is not the job of any one person or group; we all have a role to play. If you notice a loved one withdrawing, talking about hopelessness or showing drastic mood changes, don’t wait. Ask directly if they’re thinking about suicide. Research shows this question does not plant the idea — it can reduce risk by helping them feel seen and supported. Listen without judgment, connect them to resources, ensure they’re in a safe space and let them know about 988 for support.

There are also training programs that educate the public on how to recognize signs of suicide, ask direct questions, and refer individuals to help, such as Mental Health First Aid, which is offered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

A call to action

National Suicide Prevention Month is a reminder that small actions matter. A conversation, a policy change at work, a phone call to check in. These steps may seem simple, but they can be the difference between despair and hope.

Suicide may be one of our most urgent public health challenges, but it is also one of the most preventable. Together, through awareness, access and compassion, we can save lives.

Editor’s note: Bryan Gest is a licensed professional counselor at Denova Collaborative Health, which has locations in Avondale, Mesa, Peoria and Phoenix. 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.