We have had very little success in preventing intentional injuries, especially self-harm. Worldwide, suicide rates have remained elevated. The stagnation in suicide prevention is not due to a lack of effort. With the worsening opioid crisis and the rising prevalence of depression and other mental health issues, global professional mental health experts need to focus on rethinking suicide prevention.

Suicide claims a life roughly every eleven minutes in the United States and remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Yet most people who die by suicide were never in contact with mental health services beforehand. That statistic should dispel any remaining complacency. The traditional clinical safety net—diagnose, prescribe, refer—cannot catch what it never detects.

Residing in the United Kingdom, Author Caroline Roodhouse is a mother, writer, lifelong learner, strategic communicator, and speaker on mental health and bereavement due to suicide. The suicide of a loved one can be emotionally devastating. Your grief may be heart-wrenching, and emotions can become overwhelming. Understanding the complex legacy of suicide and learning how to cope with intense grief can aid in healing, while still honoring your loved one's memory.