Preventing suicide is Kristy Jones’ life work.
"I can't tell you the number of people I have met whose lives have been touched by suicide, and I would like to be put out of business of doing suicide prevention."
Suicide prevention month is a reminder to look around and notice the people in your life – what they do and say.
"A change in behavior. It might include getting fired from a job or or the person saying that we would be better off without them,” said Jones.
See or hear something like that – don’t ignore it.
"Chat with them, don't be afraid to ask them if they're doing okay. And if they're thinking about suicide, and if they say I need help, let's connect him through the behavioral health navigation line to a provider."
The behavioral health navigation line is a resource provided by Intermountain Health. 988 is also a great option, and if the problem seems immediately dangerous, call 911.
Utahns consistently have higher rates of suicide than Americans overall, so it’s a big problem in the state.
"I was on my way to my daughter's basketball game when I came across a stranger who was going through a suicide crisis. I sat there...this young man in my arms, and we cried together. Most of the time saving a life looks like being present with the people you care about."
Jones' story forms part of a lesson one in Live On Utah's suicide prevention curriculum - available for free on Instagram.
You can search for the LiveOn playbook and it is a 10 session training. We've collaborated with experts to create the world's first ever suicide prevention course taught entirely over Instagram."
It's an easy tool, with helpful insights that don’t feel like homework.
"So when it comes to suicide 10 minutes is often long enough to reconsider the decision to end one's own life," said Jones.
"You don't have to do this alone, there are resources out there to support people."
For more about this free online course, visit LiveOnUtah on Instagram. And for immediate help, don't forget about the 988suicide and crisis lifeline. It's free and available 24/7.
