The prevention of suicide requires efforts in several areas including risk factors and warning signs recognition, responsible media coverage and education, identification methods like screening, gatekeeper training and primary care physician education. Other prevention strategies include reducing access to lethal means of self harm through things like storing medications safely and removing guns from homes.
1. Know the Signs
You don’t need to be a doctor or trained professional to recognize the warning signs of suicide. They include a wish to die, feelings of hopelessness and despair, a sense of causing a burden on others, reckless or dangerous behavior, changes in sleep patterns, giving away treasured possessions or preparing for death by researching and purchasing weapons or harmful substances.
People at risk of suicide may also show other symptoms such as self-injury, deteriorating physical health or withdrawing from family and friends. It’s important to know that even though these behaviors seem strange, they are very real and need to be taken seriously. Research shows that most people who try to kill themselves do so after a period of time when they give clues or warning signs to those around them. Knowing those signs can help you take action to keep them safe and get them the support they need. Often, the first person they turn to for help is a friend or family member.
2. Ask for Help
Many people who experience suicidal thoughts do not seek help because of stigma. Breaking down the taboo around mental health problems, suicide and self-harm can lead to better access to care.
If you know someone who is struggling, ask them how they’re feeling. Be careful not to judge or tell them how they should feel. Instead, offer a safe place to talk and listen without judgement.
Encourage them to remove anything that could be used to harm themselves and stay away from “triggers” like alcohol, drugs and triggering music or photos. Help them to make a safety plan and keep emergency contacts close by.
Consider offering to walk with them to a doctor or crisis center. Getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can also improve mood and reduce depression. For more information on these strategies and others, see the Zero Suicide Resources for Educators page.
3. Help Keep Them Safe
Increasing someone’s sense of connection to others and limiting their isolation has been shown to be a protective factor against suicide. This can be done through a variety of ways, including through social programs that target specific population groups and community activities that reduce isolation and foster emotionally supportive relationships.
People in crisis may not be able to think clearly and are often overwhelmed by their feelings, making it difficult for them to ask for help or respond effectively when they need it. You can help by being a source of stability and support during difficult times by staying with them, being available to talk or listen, and keeping objects that could be used in a suicide attempt away from the person.
Educators and school staff can also be important partners in helping to prevent suicide by providing resources and training on emotional well-being, promoting mental health care, and assisting students with getting help when they need it. All schools should have a plan for dealing with a student who is at risk of suicidal behavior and ensuring the safety of all students.
4. Help Them Find Help
Suicide can be prevented. Fifty to 75 percent of people who die by suicide give some type of warning to a friend or family member, and those warning signs should be taken seriously. It is also important to keep in mind that not all those who attempt suicide are seeking attention. The reality is that most individuals in a suicide crisis are suffering from a mental illness, such as depression or bi-polar disorder and coping with it on their own without professional help.
Providing immediate support and helping them connect with resources in their community is very important. But it is also important to continue supporting them over the long haul. This can include connecting them with a counselor for psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavior therapy that will teach them to recognize their ineffective thinking and behaviors, validate their feelings and improve coping skills.
Another strategy is to increase their connection with other people and community resources through social programs targeted to specific population groups, such as older adults or LGBT youth. Increasing connectedness and promoting a sense of belonging has been shown to protect against suicide.