Suicide (SOS)

Statistics  Almost 32,000 people commit suicide annually in the U.S.  Suicide ranks 11 th as cause of death in U.S.  Combined suicide rate 10.7 per 100,000 people.  Suicide claims the life of one person every 18 minutes.  Men complete suicide 4.1 times more often than women, but women attempt suicide three times more often then men.  There is an estimated 730,000 suicide attempts each year in the U.S.

Why would someone do it?  Unrealistic, romantic view of death  Feel like a failure  Inability to express feelings  Lacking firm values or rules in which they base life choices  Suffering a loss or deep grief that never seems to end.  Losing someone close to you to suicide (making it seem reasonable)  Trying to impress others?  Remember, these feelings won’t last forever.

ACT  Acknowledge – that your friend has a problem and that the symptoms are serious.  Care – let them know that you care about them and that you want to help them.  Tell – a trusted adult about your concerns. Just telling the right person can make all the difference.

Alcohol and Drugs  Compounds the problem  People are not thinking clearly on substances.  Often the source of depression.

Family Issues  Divorce – very prevalent  Trouble with the law  Abuse of any kind  Deaths

Facts/Myths  What have you heard?  How about these? –They just want attention –Girls are not as serious as boys –They are mentally ill or weak –Don’t mention suicide to them –They want to die

Signs to Watch For  Figure 5 - 3

How You Can Help  Get involved –If you can’t get involved, tell someone else who can help.  Don’t wait to see what happens.  Ask the person outright  Don’t make light of their feelings –Realize that they could very well mean it.  Try to offer reassurance  Call a suicide hotline or crisis intervention/Dial 911 or police  Stay with the person until help arrives.

Emotional Healing - Therapy Types  Counselor  Psychiatrist  Psychoanalyst  Psychologist  Social Worker

Codependent/Enabling  Don’t be a codependent helper  You enable people to continue inappropriate behavior.  Enablers have great intentions, but they aren’t helping.  Enablers sometimes help others to avoid their own problems.

What to Ask Yourself  If a person is clearly irrational and in danger you may have to step in.  Ask yourself: –Do I think that the person’s life or health is in serious danger? –Is the person threatening someone else’s life or health? –If I fail to help, will the situation become dangerous?

Professional Help Agencies  The person who needs help should be the one to call.  Continue helping until you are satisfied that you have done what you can.  TALK (8255)  Suicide

Protect Yourself  Know your own limits.  You can only do so much.  A depressed individual can be an “emotional sink”