May is Mental Health Awareness Month: We All Have a Role to Play in Firearm Suicide Prevention

 

By: Frances Arias
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Senior Manager, Special Projects

You don’t need a mental health background to save a life. Range safety officers, retailers, community educators, coaches, faith leaders and family members –– we all have a role to play. You just need to be willing to have an honest conversation, be aware of mental health and crisis resources to be ready to share them and show up for the people around you. A big part of that also involves taking action to ensure firearms aren’t accessible to someone who may be experiencing a mental health challenge.

Responsible firearm ownership is a commitment, not a checklist. As a firearm owner and former military spouse, I came to understand early that responsible ownership isn’t just about the firearm. It’s a reflection of how seriously you take the wellbeing of yourself and the people around you. That reflection became deeply personal when I lived through a firearm suicide crisis involving someone I loved. It changed how I show up –– as a firearm owner, and as someone committed to owning my role in firearm suicide prevention.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and firearms are involved in more than half of all suicide deaths. There is no single cause of suicide, but we know that risk increases when conditions like depression, anxiety or substance use or misuse go unaddressed –– and when a firearm is easily accessible. We can’t always see a crisis coming, but storing firearms securely every day, not just during difficult times, is the most reliable way to protect ourselves and those around us from suicide. Secure storage creates the space for a crisis to pass and for help to reach someone in time. Research shows that when a chosen method of suicide is not accessible, most people will not move on to another method in a moment of crisis. Suicide is often preventable and we can help to prevent suicide by following secure storage strategies.

There are three straightforward strategies to securing your firearm safely: lock, limit and temporarily remove.

1. Lock means storing firearms in a locking device such as a safe, unloaded and with ammunition locked away separately.
2. Limit means reducing access during vulnerable periods –– changing safe combinations, removing keys or giving access to a trusted person for safekeeping.
3. Temporarily remove means getting firearms or all ammunition out of the home temporarily when someone is going through a hard time, even if you are unsure if they are thinking of suicide or not. I store my own firearms in an electronic lock box, unloaded, and separately from my ammunition. It’s a simple habit, but one I’m intentional about, not just because the research supports it, but because I know firsthand what’s at stake when a firearm is within reach during a moment of crisis.

If you believe someone is thinking about suicide, trust your gut, assume you are the only one who will reach out and ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide. Research shows that directly asking someone if they’re thinking about suicide won’t put the idea in their head or push them to act on it. In most cases, they’ll feel relieved that someone cares enough to bring it up.

Firearm safety and suicide prevention aren’t separate issues. They’re part of the same commitment to protecting ourselves and the people we care about. Visit afsp.org/firearms to find resources, start conversations and learn how to help someone who may be at risk.

 

Frances Arias is the Senior Manager of Special Projects at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Frances primarily works on firearm suicide prevention and suicide prevention in the construction industry and corrections systems.