Suicide is difficult to discuss. And yet, with suicides on the rise in the US, many mental health advocates are calling on people to talk more openly.
Some researchers say it’s a necessary discussion even at work, and that doing so can help destigmatize the experiences that employees may be struggling with.
Providing resources at work. A meta-analysis funded by the University of Melbourne found that supportive managers, anti-stigma training, and mental health workplace policies can encourage workers struggling with poor mental health to disclose it to their employers.
Cara McNulty, president of behavioral health and mental well-being at CVS Health, told HR Brew that it’s imperative for employers to meet employees where they are and encourage them to bring their whole selves to work, even when they’re struggling with their mental health.
“When someone tells us they have cancer, we often embrace them and wrap our arms around them,” she said. “It’s not always the same with mental health, but that is changing, and so employers are working to change that conversation [by saying], you might have a mental health disorder or illness…That doesn’t mean…that you’re less than or broken.”
While some employers offer mental health benefits, a 2023 study from Amwell, a telemedicine platform, found that 85% of workers don’t use them. McNulty said one way HR teams can support employees is by consistently reminding them of the mental health resources and benefits available and how to use them.
A growing national problem. The number of suicides in the US increased in 2021 by 5%, then in 2022 by 2.6% YOY to 49,449, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Men were disproportionately impacted, accounting for 39,255 of those deaths.
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The CDC also reported that 12.3 million US adults “seriously” thought about suicide in 2021, and 1.7 million made an attempt.
Just 32% of Americans strongly believe they can recognize warning signs of someone might be at risk of suicide, according to a September CVS survey. McNulty suggested that employers offer mental health training, recommending the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Talk Saves Lives workplace training.
“It doesn’t mean that the manager or the employee needs to be an expert,” she stressed. “It just helps generate the conversation. And the more conversations we have, the more we normalize that people don’t have to suffer in silence.”
McNulty said one of the most helpful steps employers can take is talking openly about suicide, including their own relationship with it. “Often it hasn’t been talked about, but that’s changing,” she said. “The more employers talk about it, and even share personal stories, the more we normalize that…it doesn’t have to be so hush-hush.”
Not therapists. While HR has a role to play in helping manage employee mental health, McNulty pointed out that they should not try to act as therapists. A “conversation isn’t a therapy session,” she emphasized. “It’s just checking in on someone.”
Offering support or even a listening ear can be helpful when noticing changes in behavior, like suddenly becoming quiet, not eating, or getting easily agitated.
“Saying nothing, we know doesn’t work. But supporting each other matters.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or chatting online at 988lifeline.org.