A psychologist takes notes during a therapy session.
Suicide prevention is important in the workplace. From listening to struggling colleagues to knowing when to make a report, it can be tough to talk about suicidality in professional settings. It’s necessary considering suicide rates in the United States reached an all time high in 2022. An estimated 49,000 Americans ended their lives in 2022, an increase of 1.6% compared to 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearms were used in over half of all suicides amongst Americans from 2019 to 2020.
Despite the fact that thousands of people are grappling with suicidal ideation, there is still stigma surrounding suicide and how to treat people who want to harm themselves. When academics and researchers discuss suicide they often use the phrase “committed suicide” which makes taking one’s life sound like a crime. In addition, some religious ideologies say suicide is a sin. In recent years mental health professionals have made more of an effort to combat stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace.
For example, Dr. Sophia Carter is a Black executive coach with a PhD in business psychology. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and hails from the south side of Chicago. Here are a few reasons why work can cause someone to experience suicidal ideation.
Past Trauma
Dr. Carter, who is a business psychologist, had plenty to say about approaches to suicidality in the workplace. ‘‘If there are other factors such as an underlying mental illness, depression or an anxiety disorder, that definitely become a trigger for suicidal ideation,” says Dr. Carter. “If that person has any history of trauma that can trigger suicidal ideation, especially if their trauma is work-related,” she says.
“Suicidality is a confluence of many different types of crises that involve high levels of anxiety but also high levels of hopelessness,” says Dr. Mary C. Murphy, a social psychologist and Herman B. Wealth Endowed Professor at Indiana University.
She is also the founding director of the Summer Institute on Diversity at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford. In 2019, she received the Presidential Early Career Award, the highest award bestowed on early career scholars by the United States government.
Workplace Competition
The San Antonio native says there are many factors that cause suicidality— and that includes workplace bullying. “Workplace bullying can contribute to suicidality. Many times it’s unpredictable which makes it more difficult to experience and manage,” Dr. Murphy says.
“Bullying can take the form of gaslighting or information resource hoarding from people. If it takes that form it really messes with people’s sense of reality which causes suicidality. Because it can’t be controlled often by the target of that bullying, especially if that bully is in a position of power.’’
Dr. Murphy expressed that the pressure to compete with colleagues can lead to suicidal ideation. “The best workplaces I’ve seen— there’s coalition building rather than internal competition. That is up to the leaders in the organization. Set norms for that kind of coalition building,” she says.
Experiencing Racism
But there’s more to suicidality beyond feelings of loneliness and isolation. Engaging with racist colleagues can also result in suicidal ideation. “Racism is a form of trauma. I think more and more scholars in the field of psychology and mental health are recognizing that in their research. These experiences are linked to an increase in suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors,” says Dr. Carter.
Even if someone is healing from past trauma, workplace bullying, and racial prejudice, there is still hope to keep them alive.
There are several ways to support colleagues experiencing suicidal ideation. If someone says they have a plan to harm themselves immediately call 911. Reporting it to your boss may hurt your colleague down the line, so make sure to consult a mental health professional about mandating reporting.
Fortunately there are suicide hotlines, which are a great resource to find out more about how to respond to suicidal ideation. “Suicidality really comes from a sense of feeling alone, feeling like things aren’t going to get better,” says Dr. Murphy.
Don’t shy away from having tough conversations about suicide with a mental health professional. Wanting to take your life does not make you weak or sinful. A colleague or employee who has suicidal thoughts should not be punished and should be seen and heard instead. Lending an ear to a depressed colleague might just save a life.
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