Since openness and social support help alleviate shame, such a collective attitude toward suicide can help reduce the risk of suicide. Shame prevents us from talking to others; it makes us try to hide what we are ashamed of. In the case of suicide risk, being met by someone who can help us talk about how we feel in a caring manner is a crucial way out of suicide risk. Often, the person themselves cannot see a way forward, but those around them can help explore other possibilities since they have a different perspective. Therefore, openness and the security to have open conversations about suicide are crucial, especially when dealing with individuals at risk of suicide. If we can meet each other in a safe, constructive, and supportive way on this topic, we can make a big difference. We can learn how to initiate conversations about the topic and how to help individuals at risk make contact with the support system that can assist them through the process they need to go through to get to safety.

Suicide is a significant societal issue that we can learn to handle better together. We can learn how to provide basic mental first aid to our fellow human beings, and this is a skill we can acquire as a population.

The path to a society where we learn to prevent suicide as fellow human beings involves increasing competence and understanding of how to do so. Despite any discomfort we may feel, it's about contributing to saving lives. Since half of those who commit suicide have not been in contact with mental health services, this is a positive and meaningful mission we can undertake together as a population.