If Something Feels Off, Flag It: Highlights from Suicide Prevention: A Conversation with Caribbean Youth
- Dannyelle- Jordan Bailey
- Sep 10
- 4 min read
Suicide, a word that carries immense weight, is steeped in preconceived notions and silence. On Wednesday, September 03, 2025, Let’s Unpack It, with the support of the Pan American Health Organization, Healthy Caribbean Youth, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness (Barbados), convened a suicide prevention youth forum of 30 young people, that aimed to dismantle barriers, confront stigma, and foster solutions rooted in cultural sensitivity and evidence-based advocacy.
The forum, entitled Suicide Prevention: A Conversation with Caribbean Youth, was a necessary and sobering space. Participants examined urgent priorities: the need for stronger financing, structured training, effective coordination, and community awareness. At its core, the forum underscored the shared responsibility of building capacity across the Caribbean to address suicide prevention, while also emphasizing political advocacy and culturally relevant approaches.
Breaking Down Barriers to Awareness and Capacity
One of the forum’s first discussions revealed that the challenges in educating the public on suicide transcend national boundaries. Limited financing for consistent training, cultural taboos, stigma, and untrained first responders were identified as widespread barriers across the region.
Notably, participants moved beyond identifying problems to suggesting solutions, which included: normalizing mental health service use, implementing continuous training for key actors, encouraging routine mental health check-ups, particularly for mothers, and advocating for stronger political commitment.
As one participant powerfully noted: “I knew the resources… but I didn’t want to feel like a burden.” This sentiment highlights the harmful perception that seeking help signals weakness rather than strength, a belief that continues to isolate individuals in need.
Responsible Reporting: A Missing Piece
Another theme of the forum centered on the coverage of suicide in the media. Participants highlighted the dangers of sensationalism, viral social media posts, and police leaks. Without enforceable guidelines, irresponsible reporting can heighten suicide risk and reinforce stigma.
Fundamentally, the absence of baseline media standards in the Caribbean leaves coverage largely unregulated. Solutions discussed included enforceable guidelines with punitive measures, mandatory ethical training for journalists, and stronger collaboration with mental health professionals. “Where context and accuracy are concerned, it is important to communicate with the experts”, one participant emphasized.
Limiting Access to Means
Discussions also focused on restricting access to means of self-harm and suicide. Globally, concerns were raised about the misuse of AI tools (including Chat GPT) as substitutes for therapy, the ubiquitous access to harmful substances and information encouraging self-harm, and policies created without community consultation.
As one participant shared, “Policy is good… but we need to meet people where they are.” Effective prevention, therefore, requires scaling back inappropriate AI use in crises, strengthening community-based outreach, and building healthy coping strategies and resilience, while ensuring safe, supportive environments.
Early Identification and Support
Perhaps the most effective method of suicide prevention lies in early identification. Forum participants stressed the importance of teaching communities to recognize suicide warning signs, substance misuse, or unusual changes in behavior.
Challenges remain: communities often lack awareness, individuals may turn to AI over human connection, and harmful substances remain accessible despite regulations. Still, solutions exist: building awareness campaigns, tracking medication use closely, encouraging peer support, and reinforcing self-worth. As one speaker aptly noted: “We need to be aware of what we’re doing and how we’re engaging.”
From Dialogue to Action
The suicide prevention youth forum did not shy away from the uncomfortable truths surrounding one of the greatest challenges to mental health advocacy: stigma. Instead, it illuminated a path forward: strengthening health systems, training and supporting communities, regulating reporting, and centering policies on the lived realities of individuals. Attendees all received a copy of Let’s Unpack It’s How to CARE resource, a practical guide to supporting friends or loved ones who may be thinking about suicide. They also made commitments to mobilize decisive leadership and action, beyond the conversation, by attaching personalized pledges on the event Pledge Tree.
Participants shared their commitments to action on the event Pledge Tree. © LUI/2025/Johnson
While suicide is a heavy word, and the act itself even heavier, forums like these remind us that it does not need to remain shrouded in silence. With collective advocacy, culturally sensitive solutions, and responsible engagement, we can build a Caribbean where prevention is not just possible, but prioritized.
Above all, the message was clear: If something feels off, flag it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dannyelle-Jordan Bailey is the Content Creation Assistant - Digital at Let's Unpack It. She is a spirited 21-year-old activist from Kingston, Jamaica, driven by a profound empathy for the struggles faced by youth. With a keen focus on tackling the mental health crisis and educational disparities, she tirelessly advocates for marginalized voices, emphasizing the importance of intersectionality in addressing societal gaps. Despite facing challenges, Bailey's commitment to creating a more equitable world shines through her academic achievements, leadership roles, and global advocacy efforts. From representing Jamaica as a UNICEF Youth Advocate to participating in her country’s all-women’s youth parliamentary sitting, she remains steadfast in her dedication to amplifying the voices of the underrepresented. Bailey's ultimate goal is to continue serving as a compassionate steward for others, leveraging her passion for academia, mental wellness, and advocacy to foster positive change in communities worldwide.
In a moment of despair, we could all use a little help and support. If you're going through a rough patch, and/or dealing with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please reach out to one of the hotlines listed in the Directories of Services here. You can also find some other resources compiled by Let's Unpack It here.
Help is just one click or one phone call away.
We all have a mental health story. And, when we are open enough to share it, we can build hope, dismantle stigma, and help others to know that they're not alone. So, if you're comfortable, take a moment to share your lived experience here. #CareToShare