Q&A with the Experts: Carolina Hausmann-Stabile

Hygieia offers specialized services to enhance your organizations’ ability to prevent and respond to suicide risks. Our interdisciplinary team includes mental health, public health, anthropology, sociology, non-profit management, policy, and communications specialists trained as scientists, administrators, and practitioners.  Meet Carolina Hausmann-Stabile, a health scientist with over 20 years of experience working in the United States and Latin America and an expert in the field of mental health and suicide prevention.

1. How do you define suicide prevention?

Suicide prevention addresses interconnected factors across individual, relational, community, organizational, and societal levels. It combines mental health care (e.g., assessing strengths and challenges) with strategies (e.g., protocols, programs) that address the unique needs of diverse individuals, communities, and organizations. This multi-tiered approach integrates a life-spam perspective and the latest scientific evidence, alongside with stakeholders’ inputs. The goal of this approach is always to mitigate risks to prevent suffering and be ready to respond to need and trauma.

2. How do you believe this impacts society as a whole?

Effective, integrated suicide prevention benefits all by reducing stigma, fostering social connectedness and supports, and promoting resilience. It enhances mental health care access, reduces economic burdens and suicide-related trauma, and strengthens community networks. By addressing risk factors and promoting protective measures, it decreases suicide rates, improves community well-being, and builds more supportive and cohesive society.

3. Can you recall a specific event or moment that shifted your perspective on suicide prevention?

Suicide is tragically common, carrying profound suffering for those struggling and for the survivors of suicide loss. A pivotal moment for me was learning how community support reduces isolation and despair, two leading causes of suicide. Strengthening connections and fostering understanding within communities can save lives, offering hope and healing to those impacted by suicide and its ripple effects.

4. What are some of the most overlooked aspects of suicide prevention that you feel are critical to understanding it fully?

   
   

A critical yet overlooked aspect of suicide prevention is recognizing it as a multifactorial outcome shaped by individual lived experiences and community resources. Personal struggles like trauma or mental health challenges intersect with external factors like social support, access to care, and stigma. Addressing both individual needs and strengthening community supports is vital for effective prevention.

5. In your opinion, how has the public perception of suicide prevention evolved over time, and where do you think it will go in the future?

Public perception of suicide prevention has evolved significantly, shifting from viewing suicide as an inevitable outcome connected with personal failures such as sin to recognizing it as preventable. Increased awareness of mental health, willingness to discuss suicide openly, and belief in community roles have grown. Most now see prevention as a shared responsibility, supported by resources like human resources practices and public health policies.  

6. How do you balance empathy with practical solutions when approaching suicide prevention?

   
   

Balancing empathy with practical solutions in suicide prevention involves deeply understanding individual lived experiences while implementing actionable, community-based strategies. Empathy fosters trust and connection, while practical measures—like improving access to care, reducing stigma, and strengthening social support—address systemic factors. This dual approach ensures compassionate, effective interventions that meet both personal and community needs.

7. What role do you think government/policy plays in addressing suicide prevention? Where have you seen wins in this arena?

   
   

Wins in suicide prevention include reducing stigma around mental health through public campaigns, improving treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy for suicidal thoughts, and fostering community roles in prevention through programs such as crisis response in the workforce and gatekeeper trainings. Combined, these efforts can significantly lower suicide rates and save lives.

8. What is one thing you believe society as a whole could do better in addressing suicide prevention?

   
   

Society can reduce suicide by fostering a culture of care, prioritizing mental health support, addressing substance abuse, and ensuring readiness to respond to crises in a manner that is aligned to resources and cultural needs. By building stronger connections, improving access to resources, and equipping communities with tools for intervention, we can create a safer, more supportive environment for those in need.

9. How does suicide prevention intersect with other societal challenges (e.g. race, gender, class, etc.)?

   
   

Suicide prevention intersects with societal challenges like race, gender, and class through systemic inequities that affect mental health care access, stigma, and support networks. Marginalized groups often face compounded risks due to structural racism, poverty, or discrimination. Addressing these disparities through culturally responsive care, equitable resources, and community engagement is essential for effective prevention.

10. What is one misconception people often have about suicide prevention, and how would you correct it?

    
    

A common misconception is that suicide is always impulsive and cannot be prevented. In reality, timely intervention, open conversations, and access to support can save lives. Recognizing warning signs and fostering community awareness are crucial steps toward effective prevention, challenging the belief that suicide is inevitable or uncontrollable.

11. What do you believe is the root cause of suicide, and how do you approach preventing it from your position?

    
    

The root cause of suicide is multifactorial, involving individual struggles like mental illness or trauma and societal factors like stigma, inequality, and lack of support. Prevention requires addressing these through destigmatization, better treatments, programs that help identify those in needs and assist their efforts for well-being. Suicide prevention requires community-building. By fostering empathy, improving access to care, and strengthening social connections, we can reduce risks and create protective environments.

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Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for immediate, confidential support from trained counselors who provide immediate crisis intervention and mental health resources. 

For LGBTQ+ youth, The Trevor Project offers help at 1-866-488-7386. 

Remember, you're not alone, and trained professionals are ready to listen and help.