Breaking the Stigma: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Every September, communities across the nation come together for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a month dedicated to raising awareness, offering hope, and reminding people that they are not alone. Here in North Dakota, the conversation is especially important. Our state’s rural landscapes, tight-knit communities, and hardworking culture come with unique strengths—but also unique challenges when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention.

At the Peer Support Alliance of North Dakota, we believe one of the most effective tools for suicide prevention is peer support. Peers use their own lived experience with mental health challenges or substance use recovery to walk alongside others who may be struggling. This type of support creates safe, stigma-free spaces where people feel truly seen, heard, and understood.

The Role of Peer Support in Suicide Prevention

When someone is struggling with thoughts of suicide, it can feel isolating. Often, stigma and fear of judgment prevent people from speaking up. That’s where peer support comes in. Unlike clinical or medical approaches, peer support is rooted in empathy and shared experience.

A peer support specialist can say: “I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, and I also know recovery is possible.” That simple message carries a power that statistics and treatment plans alone cannot. It validates a person’s experience and reminds them they are not alone.

In North Dakota, peer support specialists work in communities large and small—whether that’s connecting with people in Fargo, reaching out to rural families, or providing encouragement at recovery centers and crisis lines. These everyday conversations are part of a larger movement to save lives and reduce suicide in our state.

Ways Peers Can Break the Stigma Around Mental Health

Breaking the stigma around mental health and suicide takes effort from all of us, but peers have a unique voice in the movement. Here are some of the ways peers—and everyday community members—can help shift the conversation in North Dakota:

1. Start Honest Conversations

In many communities, talking about suicide or depression is still seen as taboo. But silence only allows stigma to grow. Peers can take the first step by talking openly about their own challenges or by asking loved ones how they are really doing. Conversations around a kitchen table, in a coffee shop, or even at the workplace can help normalize mental health discussions.

2. Share Stories of Lived Experience

Stories have the power to heal. When someone shares their journey of struggling and recovering, it breaks down stereotypes and helps others realize that recovery is possible. In North Dakota, peers regularly share their stories at schools, support groups, community meetings, and training events, creating ripples of understanding.

3. Encourage Resources and Support

Peers can serve as a bridge to professional help and community resources. Whether it’s pointing someone to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, connecting them with a local therapist, or inviting them to a peer support group, these small acts can be life-changing.

4. Show Up Consistently

Sometimes the most powerful thing peers can do is simply be there. A text message, a coffee invitation, or just sitting in silence with someone can make a huge difference. Presence matters, and consistency helps build trust.

5. Challenge Stigma When You Hear It

When someone uses dismissive or harmful language about suicide or mental illness, peers can respond with compassion and facts. For example, replacing phrases like “committed suicide” with “died by suicide” helps reduce shame and shift the narrative.

Why Suicide Prevention Matters in North Dakota

Suicide impacts every corner of our state. According to state health data, North Dakota consistently ranks among the higher states for suicide rates, especially among youth and Native communities. In rural areas, access to mental health resources can be limited, and long winters can intensify feelings of isolation.

But there is hope. Community-based efforts—like peer support groups, awareness walks, crisis hotlines, and mental health trainings—are making a real difference. Every conversation, every story shared, and every resource provided helps save lives.

Suicide prevention in North Dakota is not just about professionals—it’s about people supporting people. And that’s exactly what peers are trained to do.

How You Can Get Involved This September

This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, there are many ways you can join the movement to break stigma and spread hope in North Dakota:

• Wear purple and teal (the awareness colors for suicide prevention) to spark conversations.

• Attend local events such as awareness walks, candlelight vigils, or educational workshops.

• Share resources on social media, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and local peer support programs.

• Volunteer your time with organizations dedicated to mental health and recovery.

• Check in on loved ones—sometimes the smallest act of kindness can make the biggest impact.

  
  

A Call to Action

At the Peer Support Alliance of North Dakota, we are committed to creating communities where mental health is talked about openly, resources are accessible, and every person feels supported. Suicide is preventable, and together we can save lives.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You are not alone, and recovery is possible.