After tragic incidences, the national conversation around suicide always becomes more prominent -- but we often feel helpless to address mental health issues within our own communities.
Dr. Lloyd Sederer, Medical Director at the New York State Office of Mental Health, joined HuffPost Live host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani to discuss what individuals can do to address mental illness and possibly prevent suicide.
“There is a way of approaching the problem before, and there is a way of thinking about how to talk with someone after when your feelings are very troubled,” Sederer told HuffPost Live.
Dr. Sederer explained that anyone can ask the simple words, “Are you OK?” if they are concerned about a friend or loved one.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to say 'are you OK' and to have a conversation,” said Sederer. “We need to be able to have the courage to ask and then the courage to continue to ask the tough questions because that’s what counts.”
To hear more of the conversation, watch the full HuffPost Live segment here.