Google Adds Pre-Written Text Prompts to Suicide-Related Search Results

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month in the US, and Google is rolling out a series of new resources for people in need.

The search giant, which already highlights suicide prevention information at the top of relevant results, will soon offer pre-written prompts people can send via text message to a trusted friend or family member.

“When someone is in a vulnerable situation, it can be difficult to put this experience into words and know what to say to ask for help,” says(Opens in a new window) Dr. Megan Jones Bell, director of consumer and mental health at Google.

Starting soon in the US, those who search for suicide-related terms will see conversation starters below the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. “If you’re struggling, it’s OK to share your feelings. Use these messages as a starting point to send to a trusted contact or suicide hotline,” the page says.

Available messages range from “I’m struggling right now and just need to talk to someone—can we chat?” to “When you get a chance can you contact me? I feel alone and suicidal, and could use some urgent support.”

Developed in partnership with the International Association for Suicide Prevention, these prompts aim to reduce the stigma of reaching out for help, which, according to Jones Bell, can help people get support when in crisis.

“People often turn to Google Search in some of their most vulnerable moments,” she says. “In the context of a crisis, it is critical to instill hope and give simple information that is easy to act on.” It’s unclear if the prompts will show up on the desktop, given the text message component.

Google-owned YouTube, meanwhile, recently updated its approach to eating disorder-related content, removing videos that show or describe certain behaviors and adding age restrictions to recovery-based clips. A crisis resource panel also appears under related videos and search results to reach more people.

“If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis, there are resources available to help from Google and many other trustworthy organizations,” Jones Bell says.