I saw a cartoon over the weekend related to suicide and suicide prevention. The setting was a party and there was a giant elephant at the party with the word Suicide written across his side. Two party goers were whispering to each other- "yes, I see him, but no one wants to talk about it." I thought to myself: How true is that?
Suicide is a very hard thing for most people to talk about. As a mental health professional, I still get a pit in my stomach every time a concern comes up. It is hard to understand the amount of anguish that someone must be in to lead to suicide. Especially dealing with a younger population, it is hard to imagine that a child or teen is experiencing that amount of anguish. Developmentally, teens are susceptible to suicidal ideation. They truly have not experienced the ups and downs in life. If they are in a down, it is difficult for a teen to understand that an up will come eventually. Developmentally, teens are also more likely to seek an impulsive solution to their problems. Experimenting with inhibition lowering substances further increases this risk.
Talking to someone who is suicidal is not easy for anyone. There are programs that you can attend to increase your comfort and ability to talk to someone who is suicidal. I have attended the ASIST program, which is a two day program that helps to develop skills in supporting a suicidal individual. The program can be described as mental health first aid- like a medical first aid course, the idea is to learn to support someone until a trained professional can provide assistance. Often places of employment will offer this training, or community mental health organizations. Livingworks.net now offers online learning programs as well. If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these programs, I highly recommend it.
Did You Know…
· Suicide is the third leading cause of death in all youth aged 15-24, and Caucasian males between the ages of 10 and 19?
· One in six high school students have made a suicide plan during the last year, while one in eleven have made a suicide attempt?
· 28% of all adolescents and 2% of all children will experience at least one episode of Major Depression?
So… What Can I Do?
Be Observant! 50-75% of all who die by suicide showed signs! Watch for warning signs and risk factors including:
· Observable signs of Depression- an unrelenting low mood, pessimism, hopelessness, irritability, anxiety, changes in sleep patterns or hygiene *Younger children may display greater moodiness, irritability, 'acting out' behaviors, lose interest in playing, and believe that they are 'ugly' or 'not good at anything'
· Atypical, hopeless communication of thoughts about death and the afterlife
· Impulsive and Aggressive Behavior
· Increase in the use of Drugs and Alcohol
· Experiencing a close friend or family member die by suicide
· Making a plan, giving away possessions, and making that statements suggest that things ‘would be better without them’
· A significant increase in life stressors
· An overall deterioration in functioning
Talk to them!
· Tell them that you are worried about them because…
· Let them know that you care about them and that depression is treatable! Try not to downplay their feelings by telling them how much they would hurt their family and friends, or what a wonderful life they have. Don't be afraid to be direct and use the word suicide. People are afraid to say the word suicide to someone they are worried about, but the fact is, if someone is contemplating suicide, saying the word does not make them more likely to follow through.
· If concerned about a student, please refer them to a School Psychologist, Counselor, or Social Worker for further assessment. If you have immediate concerns about someone's safety, contact your local emergency room, supervise the person for their safety, and keep items (guns, knives, pills) out of their access.
**************************************************************************************************************************
If YOU are feeling suicidal, talk to someone. Find someone that you can be with. If no one is available, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1-800-273-TALK. Depression is treatable. Most often success is found with a combination of medication and counseling. Counseling will help you learn strategies to overcome depression and medication will help to keep your depression at a manageable level while you learn those strategies. Neither are an instant cure, but your depression CAN be helped.
Sources: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, American Association of Suicidology, National Association of School Psychologists, National Institute of Health, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Suicide is a very hard thing for most people to talk about. As a mental health professional, I still get a pit in my stomach every time a concern comes up. It is hard to understand the amount of anguish that someone must be in to lead to suicide. Especially dealing with a younger population, it is hard to imagine that a child or teen is experiencing that amount of anguish. Developmentally, teens are susceptible to suicidal ideation. They truly have not experienced the ups and downs in life. If they are in a down, it is difficult for a teen to understand that an up will come eventually. Developmentally, teens are also more likely to seek an impulsive solution to their problems. Experimenting with inhibition lowering substances further increases this risk.
Talking to someone who is suicidal is not easy for anyone. There are programs that you can attend to increase your comfort and ability to talk to someone who is suicidal. I have attended the ASIST program, which is a two day program that helps to develop skills in supporting a suicidal individual. The program can be described as mental health first aid- like a medical first aid course, the idea is to learn to support someone until a trained professional can provide assistance. Often places of employment will offer this training, or community mental health organizations. Livingworks.net now offers online learning programs as well. If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these programs, I highly recommend it.
Did You Know…
· Suicide is the third leading cause of death in all youth aged 15-24, and Caucasian males between the ages of 10 and 19?
· One in six high school students have made a suicide plan during the last year, while one in eleven have made a suicide attempt?
· 28% of all adolescents and 2% of all children will experience at least one episode of Major Depression?
So… What Can I Do?
Be Observant! 50-75% of all who die by suicide showed signs! Watch for warning signs and risk factors including:
· Observable signs of Depression- an unrelenting low mood, pessimism, hopelessness, irritability, anxiety, changes in sleep patterns or hygiene *Younger children may display greater moodiness, irritability, 'acting out' behaviors, lose interest in playing, and believe that they are 'ugly' or 'not good at anything'
· Atypical, hopeless communication of thoughts about death and the afterlife
· Impulsive and Aggressive Behavior
· Increase in the use of Drugs and Alcohol
· Experiencing a close friend or family member die by suicide
· Making a plan, giving away possessions, and making that statements suggest that things ‘would be better without them’
· A significant increase in life stressors
· An overall deterioration in functioning
Talk to them!
· Tell them that you are worried about them because…
· Let them know that you care about them and that depression is treatable! Try not to downplay their feelings by telling them how much they would hurt their family and friends, or what a wonderful life they have. Don't be afraid to be direct and use the word suicide. People are afraid to say the word suicide to someone they are worried about, but the fact is, if someone is contemplating suicide, saying the word does not make them more likely to follow through.
· If concerned about a student, please refer them to a School Psychologist, Counselor, or Social Worker for further assessment. If you have immediate concerns about someone's safety, contact your local emergency room, supervise the person for their safety, and keep items (guns, knives, pills) out of their access.
**************************************************************************************************************************
If YOU are feeling suicidal, talk to someone. Find someone that you can be with. If no one is available, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1-800-273-TALK. Depression is treatable. Most often success is found with a combination of medication and counseling. Counseling will help you learn strategies to overcome depression and medication will help to keep your depression at a manageable level while you learn those strategies. Neither are an instant cure, but your depression CAN be helped.
Sources: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, American Association of Suicidology, National Association of School Psychologists, National Institute of Health, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention