Suicide
The permanent
solution to a
temporary problem
Objectives:
Explore myths that stop us from dealing effectively
with suicide.
Review verbal & situational warning signs (“red
flags”) of teens who are thinking of suicide.
Understand the extreme importance to referring for
help quickly.
Explore OK things to say.
Understand that suicide is a “permanent solution to a
temporary problem.”
Myths
MYTH: if a person has made a decision to commit
suicide, nothing will stop them.
FACT: Most people who complete or attempt
suicide do not want to die; they just want their pain to
end.
People thinking of suicide need someone to step in to
help them find alternatives to dealing with their pain
and their problems.
Myths
MYTH: Talking about suicide may lead someone to
attempt suicide.
FACT: Talking openly about suicide actually
reduces the risk.
Your honest care and concern can be a source of
relief for the suicidal person, reducing the immediate
danger.
Myths
Another myth about suicidal people is that once the initial
depression or suicide attempt is past, the person is well and
healthy again and doesn’t need to be worried about.
Fact: The initial crisis may be over, but a suicidal person is
still ripe for another attempt if there is no monitoring and
follow-through by professionals.
A certain amount of energy is needed to commit suicide.
If a suicidal person’s depression seems to have lifted, it may
lull those around him / her into a false security.
Teen Suicide is becoming an
even bigger problem
It doesn't seem right that a teenager - who has lived for such a
short time - would choose to die.
But adolescents who can't get over their depression sometimes
do kill themselves
Since 1960, the number of teen suicide has increased 300%.
Roughly 1 out of 10 people between the ages of 15 - 24
attempt suicide during some part of their adolescence
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in young people.
For every two homicides in the U.S. there are three suicides.
14 suicides take place each day or 5000 per year.
Suicide threats & clues
Suicide threats and clues:
It has been estimated that up to 80% of all
suicide victims have given some clues
regarding their intentions.
Direct clues: “I want to kill myself”
Indirect clues: “I wish I could fall asleep
and never wake up”
Suicide Threats
Take all suicide threats seriously:
even if the person is laughing when mentioning
suicide
or a friend is daring him / her to do it
or if the person is just beginning to think about
suicide
A refusal to take the suicidal person’s feelings
seriously can be the triggering factor - it may be
viewed as confirmation that nobody cares or
understands.
“Cry for help”
A suicide or suicide attempt has often been described
as a “cry for help”.
It’s a message that is sent to significant others.
Many teenagers who attempt suicide, don’t really
want to die.
They are ambivalent.
There is an urge to die, but there is also an urge to
live.
A life can be saved if the “cry for help” is heard.
Listening
We need to know how to listen and what to
listen for.
It is not normal for teens to be constantly
depressed. (Mood swings for a day or two are
normal).
However, for teens who are depressed for
weeks and don’t snap out of it - this can be a
warning sign or a “cry for help.”
Understanding Depression and Its
Connection to Suicide
Depression is an emotional state in which people
have extreme feelings of sadness, dejection, lack of
worth and emptiness.
Depression is not the blues. The blues are normal
feelings that eventually pass.
Feelings associated with depression last longer than a
few weeks.
For people who are depressed, no matter how hard
they try, they can’t seem to “shake” their depression.
Depressed Individuals
Depressed individuals often feel and act hopeless and
helpless.
Most depression can be effectively treated (usually
with a combination of medication and
psychotherapy).
With treatment, people can live productive lives.
However, if left untreated, depression can be lethal.
Warning Signs of Depression
Significant changes in Chronic physical symptoms
eating habits: or pains that do not respond
Loss of appetite or to treatment.
Overeating; Loss of motivation.
Weight gain or loss. Feelings of guilt.
Changes in sleeping Indecisiveness.
patterns; sleeping more or Slowing of speech and body
less. movement.
Loss of energy or persistent Persistent thoughts of death
lethargy; tired all the time. or suicide.
A Study of Teens Who Completed
Suicide found:
In almost every instance, the adolescents had multiple,
unexpected separations from their parents during the first
three years of their lives.
All felt that there was no real communication or there were no
emotional ties in their families.
More than 60% had attempted suicide previously.
In 25% of the families involved, one of the parents had
attempted suicide.
A relative or a close friend had attempted suicide for 44% of
the suicidal young people in this study.
A Study of Teens Who Completed
Suicide found:
Nearly 66% of the youngsters were in families in which
someone had suffered a serious illness, (usually in the two-
year period prior to the attempted suicide).
Many of the adolescents felt that they had to contend with an
unwanted stepparent -- a feeling that was often mutual.
About 85% of the adolescents had physical complaints (i.e.
headaches, stomach aches, general malaise).
Most parents of suicidal teenagers say that in retrospect, many
of the warning signs were there.
Common Characteristics for Teens
Who Are Thinking of Suicide
They suffer psychological or emotional pain that is so intense it
seems as if it will never end. They feel that their pain and
suffering will go on forever.
Teens don’t have the perspective of living a lot of years or that
everything in life changes.
Their needs for security, achievement, trust, love, and
friendship are frustrated.
They see suicide rather than any other alternative as the
solution for a problem.
They need to stop the pain they feel by ending their awareness.
They have difficulty problem solving.
Common Characteristics for Teens
Who Are Thinking of Suicide
They see only two solutions to the problem: it is either solved
or it is stopped by their death.
They feel ambivalence: they want to live; yet they want to die.
They give clues about wanting to commit suicide.
They want to run away from the problems, fears, pain, and
turmoil.
Suicide is the ultimate runaway.
They have a long pattern of coping poorly with problems.
They can’t sort it out.
Detection / Awareness
Detection / awareness:
All school personnel (including teachers,
paraprofessionals, administrators, support staff,
bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc.) who interact
with students on a regular basis must know the
warning signs of suicide and the importance of not
keeping a secret about suicidal behavior.
“Red flags” - take notice
Loss of interest in friends and regular activities.
Drop in school grades.
Changes in eating and sleeping habits.
Lack of interest in personal appearance.
Cutting classes.
Drug and alcohol abuse.
Constant withdrawal to his or her room.
A lack of interest in the future.
“Red flags” - take notice
Giving away prized possessions.
A preoccupation with death and talk of suicide.
Talk of being a “burden”.
Making statements about helplessness, hopelessness.
Loss of interest in hobbies, work, or school.
Difficulty eating and sleeping.
Self-destructive behavior.
Giving things away, even their prized possessions.
Verbal signs - take notice
“I’m going to kill myself!” (Threatening to kill oneself precedes
four out of five suicidal deaths.)
“I don’t want to live any more.”
“Soon I won’t be hurting so much any more.”
“They’ll be sorry when I’m gone!”
“I wish I never was born!”
“I wish I could go to sleep and never wake up”
“Do you think dying hurts?”
“They’ll be better off without me!”
Situational signs - take notice
Loss of relationship.
Breakup of relationship with boyfriend or girlfriend.
Belief of not being wanted.
Failure.
Substance abuse.
Emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
Financial setbacks.
Substance abuse and suicide
Some teens who abuse alcohol or drugs are more likely to
consider, attempt or succeed at suicide than are non-abusers.
Substance use and abuse can be common among persons prone
to be impulsive, and among persons who engage in many types
of high risk behaviors that result in self-harm.
The strongest risk factors for attempted suicide in youth are
depression, substance abuse, & aggressive or disruptive
behaviors.
Younger persons who kill themselves often have a substance
abuse disorder in addition to being depressed.
Suicide is permanent
Suicide is often seen as the only way to
stop and obtain relief from the
unbearable pain.
Hopelessness is a strong predictor of
suicide.
Remember: Suicide is the permanent
solution to a temporary problem.
How to help a person who is
suicidal
Stay calm.
Show you care.
Ask the question: “Are you thinking about hurting
yourself or committing suicide?”
Get the person the help they need (quickly).
Call for help ASAP (contact the therapist,
supervisor/chain of command, Crisis Services).
Help other kids be better responders: friends may
turn to other friends for help.
Let the person know you care
Listen carefully!
Don’t condemn - be willing to listen to feelings.
“You mean a lot to me and I want to help”.
“I don’t want you to kill yourself”.
“I’m on your side and we’ll get through this”.
Don’t minimize or trivialize or moralize.
Don’t offer simplistic solutions (e.g. “All you
need is a good night’s sleep;” or “Everything will be
better in the morning”).
It’s OK to say the word "suicide."
Don't be afraid to say the word "suicide."
Getting the word "suicide" out in the open
may help the teen think someone has heard
their cries for help.
Remind him / her that no matter how awful
their problems seem, they can be worked out,
and you are willing to help.
Responders have to ask the
tough questions
“Are you thinking of hurting yourself” ?
“What thoughts or plans do you have”?
“Have you thought about how you would do
it”?
“Do you really want to die or do you want the
pain to go away” ?
Things a helper can say
“I know where we can get some help”.
“You are not alone. Let me help”.
“Let’s talk to someone who can help … let’s
call your counselor, now.”
“We’ll call for help” (call therapist ASAP, call
supervisor / follow chain of command, call
Crisis Services, etc.).
More things a helper can say
A teen thinking about suicide may need
someone to take emotional charge:
“I am here”
“We will get you through this”
“I will help you find someone to talk to”
Remember: the more you engage, the less
likely the person will kill themselves.
Increase awareness among teens
Kids may have a view that life is scarier than death
(e.g. when they are flunking tests, having
relationship problems that are going on for a long
period of time, etc.).
Help them find positive ways to deal with their
problems.
Suicide is the ultimate negative way of coping.
Killing self is not like a movie or acting.
Suicide is permanent.
Increase awareness among
other teens
Dispel the myths.
Help teens better understand what suicide
and depression is all about.
Sometimes kids / teens view suicide as a
heroic act.
They may believe suicide takes a lot of
“guts.”
Contagion Effect
Beware of the Contagion Effect of suicides as
well as possible suicide pacts.
Teens are more likely to kill themselves if
they have recently read, seen, or heard about
other suicide attempts.
“Copycat” suicides happen because kids don’t
understand the reality of suicide.
Those left behind
Survivors of those who completed suicide try to
cope with feelings of:
Grief
Anger
Guilt
Denial
Regrets (for what they did and / or did not do)
It does not have to happen
Try to get across the point (continually) that
this (suicide) does not have to happen.
Try to empower the person … “You’ve made
it for 15 years”.
Try not to be judgmental - accept their
situation as being painful.
Protective factors that reduce the
probability of suicidal ideation / action
The World Health Organization report found the
following protective factors:
Good family relations and support.
Good relationships with teachers and peers.
Social integration and participation in school and
community.
Social skills and self-confidence.
Willingness to seek help when difficulties arise.
Suicide:
The permanent solution
to a temporary problem
Lethality Prevention Quiz
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completion of the Lethality Prevention
Quiz.
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Lethality Prevention Quiz
Your training record will be updated
automatically upon successful
completion of the Lethality Prevention
Quiz.
Please click here to complete the quiz.
Lethality Prevention Quiz
Your training record will be updated
automatically upon successful
completion of the Lethality Prevention
Quiz.
Please click here to complete the quiz.