COVID-19 and Suicide – Why Our Messaging Matters

Abstract

For many Americans, the COVID-19 pandemic and other political, social, economic, and environmental stressors of the past two years have resulted in serious declines in overall well-being and increases in suicide-related risk factors. Unfortunately, much of the messaging to the public during the pandemic has normalized suicide as a reaction to current stressors—which has the potential to increase risk of suicide contagion especially among those who are most vulnerable, including Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, and LGBTQ communities. The national narrative about suicide, and suicide prevention, needs to change—shifting to empower the public with concrete resources on how to talk about suicide and suicide prevention, and how to spread messages of hope, resilience, and help-seeking. As the nation continues to talk openly about the physical impacts of COVID-19, we must have the same open dialogue about the mental health impacts of the pandemic. This type of messaging is critical to the nation’s overall well-being moving forward.