Suicide Prevention Month: Hope Starts with One Conversation

Mental Health
Written By Susie Wiet, MD
Picture of hands from two different people holding on to each other

Every September, Suicide Prevention Month reminds us of an important truth: no one should have to face emotional pain alone.

Many people who experience suicidal thoughts don't actually want their life to end; they want their suffering to end. Depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, overwhelming stress, or major life changes can make it difficult to imagine that things can get better. The good news is that with the right support, they often do. 

Talking openly about suicide doesn't increase the risk. In fact, compassionate conversations can reduce isolation and help someone feel seen, heard, and connected to hope.

Suicide Is More Common Than Many People Realize

Suicidal thoughts can affect people of every age, profession, and background. They don't always look the way we expect. Someone may continue going to work, caring for their family, or smiling in social situations while quietly struggling inside.

Common warning signs may include:

  • Talking about feeling hopeless or trapped

  • Withdrawing from family and friends

  • Increased anxiety, depression, or emotional numbness

  • Significant changes in sleep or appetite

  • Giving away possessions or saying goodbye

  • Increased alcohol or drug use

  • Sudden mood changes after a period of severe depression

  • Talking about being a burden to others

 While any one of these signs doesn't necessarily mean someone is suicidal, they are signals that deserve compassion, curiosity, and conversation.

The Connection Between Addiction and Suicide

Substance use and mental health are deeply connected. Alcohol and drugs can temporarily numb emotional pain, but they often worsen depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and feelings of hopelessness over time. They can also lower inhibitions, making it more likely that someone will act on suicidal thoughts during a moment of crisis.

At the same time, many people living with addiction are also coping with underlying trauma, depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions that have never been fully addressed.

This is why treating addiction alone isn't enough. Lasting recovery often requires understanding and treating the emotional pain beneath it.

If Someone You Love Is Struggling

One of the most powerful things you can do is simply be present.

If you're concerned about someone:

  • Choose a private, calm time to talk.

  • Listen without judgment or trying to immediately "fix" the problem.

  • Ask directly if they are thinking about suicide. Research shows this does not increase the risk—it can open the door to honest conversation.

  • Let them know they are not alone and that help is available.

  • Encourage them to connect with a mental health professional.

  • If you believe they are in immediate danger, stay with them and seek emergency assistance.

You don't need to have all the answers. Sometimes your willingness to listen can make all the difference.

How Sovegna Can Help

At Sovegna, we believe every person deserves compassionate, evidence-based care that addresses the whole person—not just symptoms. Our multidisciplinary team provides individualized treatment for depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Because no two people experience emotional pain in the same way, we develop personalized treatment plans that help individuals understand the root causes of their struggles while building practical skills for healing and resilience.

Whether someone is experiencing persistent depression, thoughts of suicide, substance use concerns, or simply feels overwhelmed by life's challenges, they don't have to navigate it alone.

Recovery is possible. Healing is possible. Hope is possible.

If You or Someone You Know Needs Immediate Help

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or cannot stay safe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide or are concerned about someone else, you can also contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Compassionate, trained counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This Suicide Prevention Month, let's continue creating a community where asking for help is seen as a sign of strength, conversations about mental health are welcomed, and no one has to suffer alone.

 

Susie Wiet, MD

Dr. Wiet is an integrative, developmental psychiatrist with expertise in treatment of trauma-addiction, dual diagnosis, and complex psychiatric disorders. She synthesizes functional medicine principles (working with your own biology), honed therapeutic skills (trauma-informed, psychodynamic and EMDR trained), and allopathic (traditional western) medical training to optimize treatment outcomes and conservative use of medication.  

She is the founder, owner, and executive medical director of Sovegna Center for Addiction Treatment and Recovery and the Trauma-Resiliency Collaborative of Utah. She is the author of the Health Resiliency Stress Questionnaire (HRSQ). She has received many awards for teaching, service, initiative, advocacy and excellence of care.  

Dr. Wiet graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, IL, and trained at the University of Utah in General Psychiatry and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry (fellowship). She holds three American Medical Board certifications: General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. She is a Volunteer Faculty at the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry and previously full-time faculty as an Assistant Professor.

During her personal time, she enjoys learning from her children, celebrating time with family and friends, hiking, biking, cooking, writing poetry, cultivating creativity, and deepening her faith in prayer.

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