Suicide: know the signs & What to Do

1. Suicide: know the signs & What to Do Melissa Bowman Common Ground Resource and Crisis Helpline

2. OBJECTIVES

3. Suicide: What do we know?

4. Barriers to Treatment

6. More than twice as many people die by Suicide in Michigan annually than by Homicide.

7. Suicide Statistics

8. Suicide: Myths And Facts • Fact: Many people who die by suicide have given definite warnings to their friends and families.

9. Suicide: Myths And Facts • Fact: speaking openly about suicide let’s people know you are comfortable and open to talking about it.

10. Suicide: Myths And Facts • Fact: Suicide Does Not Discriminate

11. Suicide: Why? • Why do people die by suicide? Because they want to. Because they can. People feel as it may be the only way to stop the pain.

12. Heart Necessary for life Can malfunction with or without apparent reason This is called a heart attack Can we talk ourselves out of a heart attack? Can we take steps to protect ourselves? Can we intervene? Brain Necessary for life Can malfunction with or without apparent reason This is called mental illness Can we talk ourselves out of mental illness? Can we take steps to protect ourselves? Can we intervene? Heart Attack VS. Brain Attack

13. A Suicidal Mind

14. The Fantastic 4 • Risk Factor: A factor of one’s life that may increase the risk of suicide • Protective Factor: A factor of one’s life that may decrease the risk of suicide. • Warning Sign: Signs that a person needs immediate help/intervention. • Coping Skills: skills that we use to offset disadvantages in day to day life.

15. RISK • Mental illness and substance abuse • Previous suicide attempts • Loss or threat of a loss (relational, social, financial, etc…) • Exposure to friends’ or family members’ suicidal behavior • Lack of social support and sense of isolation • Low self-esteem

16. PROTECTIVE

17. Warning Signs

18. Warning Signs

19. Warning Signs

20. What do I do? LQR • If you have a person that is or may be suicidal or in a mental health crisis, remember LQR: • Listen • Question • Respond

21. Listen • Listen for verbal cues • What might these sound like? • “I can’t take it anymore.” • “I just want to go to sleep and never wake up.” • “I wish I were dead.” • “I am going to kill myself.” • “I won’t be needing ______ anymore, you take it.”

22. Listen

23. Listen/HEAR • Some things NOT to do: • Dare/challenge someone to attempt suicide • Scoff at the suggestion • Accuse the person of being selfish/immoral • Change the subject • Shrug it off

24. Question

25. Question • Be straightforward: • Are you thinking about killing yourself? • You seem very unhappy, are you wishing you were dead? • Has the idea of suicide been on your mind. • It sounds like you wish you were dead. NOT! • You’re not thinking about killing yourself, are you? • You would never kill yourself, would you?

26. Respond

27. Safety Planning • Crisis based thoughts can seem like they will last forever – but for many, these thoughts and feelings pass. • Having a plan in place that can help guide them through difficult moments can make a difference and keep them safe. • In general, a safety plan is designed so that they can start at step one and continue through the steps until they feel safe.

28. Elements to Explore & Development of Safety Planning

29. Respond

30. In Summary

31. Resources Common Ground Phone & text 24/7: (800) 231-1127 Chat 24/7: Commongroundhelps.org OACIS (Oakland Assessment & Crisis Intervention Screening) 1200 N. Telegraph Building 32E Pontiac, MI 48341

32. Sources • American Foundation For Suicide Prevention.  Saving Lives One Community at a Time.  http://www.afsp.org/files/Misc_//standardizedpresentation.ppt. 17  • AFSP.  Suicide and the Elderly. http://www.afsp.org/files/Misc_//standardizedpresentation3.ppt .  17  •  AFSP. Facing the Facts. http://www.afsp.org/files/Misc_//standardizedpresentation.ppt#437,6,Facing the facts • Suicide Prevention Resource Center Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide. http://www.sprc.org/library/srisk.pdf. 17 March 2008.