The Bigger Picture: There are many things in life we should talk about -indeed must talk about - but somehow we lack the courage.
Suicide is an important example. The very mention of the word terrifies most of us. We would rather it not be mentioned, fearing somehow that talking about it will encourage the action.
However, simply talking about feelings of suicide involves no actual risk. Being unable to talk about it is very dangerous.
When I was young, I created an uproar by saying I believed all teenagers thought of suicide at some point - certainly to different degrees, often never mentioned or acted on, but life at this time could be so difficult it was more likely than not that the thought crossed the mind. This had such an impact, a local parenting television programme invited me onto a panel (alongside a priest) to say it again.
I didn't intend to be sensational or shocking. I was shocked to discover how disturbed the adults were. I had wanted parents to awaken to the reality for young people, develop compassion and skills, and become better allies. I wanted people to be able to talk about things they couldn't and wouldn't ever, because I believed it would save lives. I still do.
At this early stage, I already had information and skills about suicide and its prevention. I knew about gender differences - men tend to use more violent means than women, and so we tend to lose more men to suicide while more women survive and attempt again. This remains true.
In Ireland, the most common methods of suicide include hanging, drowning and poisoning. More men die of suicide in their early 20s and more women in their late 40s.
One of the most useful things I know about suicide prevention is "risk assessment" - the likelihood of thoughts resulting in an attempt. Finding out if there's a plan - details of how, where and when - is the key divider between thinking about suicide and acting it out. Simply raising it and talking about feelings of worthlessness, invisibility, victimisation, anger or grief involves no danger. This is how human beings attempt to heal. Thus, one of the most important things one can do is talk about it.
We have a problem, however. We live in a society where few people have the courage or skills to listen to this struggle, and many good people are unnecessarily lost or nearly lost.
What do you think happens when the thought of suicide enters your head and you know there is no space or willingness to discuss it?
The sense of being on your own with a burden too great to share - the very feelings that can make someone believe they are too much trouble and might even help those around them if they ended their existence - has an opportunity to grow. We must develop skills.
As human beings, we need to know that we are loved and valuable. While the responsibility lies squarely within ourselves to notice warmth and appreciation when they appear, it is difficult to do this in isolation. Simply being told we matter has little effect.
We need to see it reflected by someone else - in good, loving, encouraging relationships. The trend that nurtures our misperceptions needs to be addressed and changed.
We need to be able to tell others our story in an environment where we are trusted, believed and supported. Interestingly, all of these can be quickly expressed to someone simply by showing that you will not be frightened so that they can be.
Human beings were not born wanting to die. All life begins with an instinct - a craving, a fierce determination - to survive.
Newborn babies, apparently so fragile and dependent, are most likely to survive a natural disaster. In our earliest days, we can and will choose to survive without food, water, light or love, simply because we want to. Unless subjected to overwhelming emotional distress, we will do anything we can to live.
New humans also have an incredible sense of worth and desire to love. For most of us, a variety of subtle or explicit experiences at different times in our lives erode that sense of connection and significance.
It is this erosion that develops the wholly untrue belief that we are unimportant. When combined with the loss of access to loving support (be it real or perceived) we can conceive of the thought that the world might be better without us or that we cannot make it through.
I know it's only August and the summer is not the traditional season to talk about suicide, but there are a lot of people out there right now either thinking about it or loving someone who is thinking about it.
If this issue really escalates in the winter and post-New Year season, then we have four months to get ourselves ready - reach out with eyes, hearts and minds open, ask questions and make ourselves worthy of honest answers.
• Shalini Sinha is an independent producer and journalist. She is a counsellor on equality issues and has lectured on women's studies in UCD. She co-presents RTÉ's intercultural programme Mono.