Asking that simple phrase might seem frivolous to many but may one day save someone's life.

Mental ill-health is becoming slowly de-stigmatised but it is often a silent illness - people who are suffering often say nothing for fear of being a burden or they hide behind a fake mask of silliness and laughter.

On Tuesday, World Suicide Prevention Day, the Mental Health Council of Tasmania launched the safely talking toolkit, which is aimed at promoting safe and effective discussions around suicide and prevention.

It comes as a new report from KPMG, on behalf of Suicide Prevention Australia, warned suicide deaths were on track to grow up to 40 per cent nationally without better prevention and earlier intervention.

MHCT chief executive Connie Digolis said while progress had been made regarding the acceptance of mental illness, there were still inconsistencies around how people talked safely about suicide and its impact.

While mental ill-health is a growing epidemic, it is also the one that we talk about the least, because its symptoms are so easy to ignore.

These days we are all so busy, rushing around from one appointment to the next, even the "mental load" of organising chores, dinner, appointments has become its own kind of burden.

We don't "have time" to stop, look and listen to our colleagues, friends or family, to find out how they are managing their own mental health.

Thursday is RU OK day, a national day where those conversations are prioritised and employers, industry and individuals stop to make sure they check in on those around them.

While yes, we should be checking in on each other on more than one day, it's important to remember that days like these serve as timely reminders in a busy world, to stop once in a while and smell the roses.

Because you never know if someone around you is suffering, but the signs are easy to see if you just stop.