If a Facebook user posts a worrying status, that person's friends can now report the post and try to get them help.
Facebook will then give them the option to contact the friend, contact another friend for support, or contact a suicide hotline.
The new feature began yesterday.
The social network teamed up with a number of suicide prevention organizations and research centers in hopes of helping people online prevent their friends from committing suicide.
These organizations include National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Now Matters Now, Save.org, and Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention from the School of Social Work at Washington University.
Facebook has a special team who will look at reported posts and, if they deem it necessary, contact the person who posted it with this pop-up:
Next, the person will be given these options:
If they select "talk to someone," they will be given the options to call NSPL, or chat with a helper online.
If they select "Get tips and support," they will be shown a video of someone who contemplated or attempted suicide and overcame it:
Then they will be given advice on some things that might help them get through a hard time:
Finally, they will be given a few more ways to seek help.
