This blog post is a continuation from Part 1 on Suicide Prevention.

What can you do if you think someone is at risk for suicide?

That depends on determining the person’s intent — i.e. they have a plan and intend to carry it out. For people who are at an active crisis point, the most important thing you can put between a suicidal person and their way of ending their life is time. Research shows that by temporarily reducing a suicidal person’s access to lethal means, we give them time for the crisis to diminish and time for someone to intervene with mental health support and resources. For the majority of people who are in crisis, if they are unable to access their chosen method even temporarily, they are unlikely to engage in another action to end their lives.

If you think a person might make an attempt on their life soon, stay with them and do not leave them alone. However, if the situation puts your own safety at risk, leave the area immediately and call 911. Help the person remove lethal means or leave the potentially dangerous area. Escort them to emergency mental health services or an emergency room. By all means, call 911 if you have to, but if you can, calmly escort them yourself.

Ask Directly

For anyone who is at risk, it’s important to have a caring, supportive conversation to allow them to share what they are experiencing. A conversation is a way to show you care and allows you to gain more information about their level of distress.

Asking someone directly if they are having thoughts of suicide can help save their life. It’s a myth that asking about suicide will put the idea in their head. Understandably, it can be nerve-wracking to ask the question, “Are you thinking about suicide?” or “Have you thought about ending your life?” Yet the only way to actually know is to ask. It doesn’t make things worse, in fact, research shows that asking directly can help save a person’s life and reduce thoughts of suicide.

There are, however, a few things to avoid in the conversation.

Avoid minimizing their feelings.
Avoid trying to convince them life is worth living. If a person is nearing a crisis point, they are not thinking clearly. Philosophical debates about life being worth living to tend not to be helpful.
Avoid advice to fix it. If the person is having a heart attack, you wouldn’t tell them to start exercising or to eat a healthier diet.

Trust your gut

Assume you’re the only one who is going to reach out. In too many instances, people talk about their concern for someone amongst themselves but hesitate to reach out to the person directly. If you’ve reached out before, reach out again. The first time the person may not be receptive – keep trying. Even if suicide turns out not to be a concern, they may still be in distress, and they may feel comforted and supported just by knowing you care and are taking the time to listen.

Safety Plan

Finally, you can help them come up with a suicide safety plan. This is a written plan that is used to help people get through a suicidal crisis without acting on their suicidal thoughts. This is most often valuable when the suicidal person is by themselves, such as at night.

Tips: You want to develop this when you are thinking clearly, rather than waiting for when you are actively suicidal. Work with someone you trust – a best friend, close family member, or a doctor or therapist – because you will most likely need to call on them as part of your safety plan. Put it in writing and keep it in a place where you can easily find it.

List out your own warning signs, like suicidal thoughts, isolating, and not taking care of your health.
Plan what you can do to make your environment safer. This may involve removing any items you might use to hurt yourself. You may want to get someone else involved to help you with this.
Write out coping strategies that you can use on your own. Plan to distract yourself with activities that absorb your attention, even if for just a little while. It could be something simple, like playing with a pet.
List people or places that can help. List the phone numbers of people you can call. Be sure to have backups in case your first or second choices are unavailable. These can be people to be with you to talk or provide a distraction or help drive you to the hospital if needed.
Make a list of all professional resources available to you, along with their contact information. This can be a therapist, or doctor, of the National Crisis Lifeline (dial 988).
Include places where you can go to get immediate help, such as a psychiatric hospital. Include the address and any directions you may need. Be sure to do your research ahead of time, noting their hours and services. If necessary, you can also go to the emergency room, but be sure to find out if they have trained staff.
Lastly, the self-care plan is just the beginning. Seek a professional counselor who specializes in suicide. Begin counseling before you reach a crisis point.

Remember that being able to listen to someone who is having thoughts of suicide can be life-saving. So if the person isn’t in a suicidal crisis, but is having thoughts about suicide, you might take them out for coffee, or take them to get some food. Saying something like, “I haven’t eaten yet, are you hungry, will you go with me to get some McDonald’s?” can be a simple way to show them you care.

Do not wait until you are personally affected by suicide before engaging in prevention efforts. Make a phone call right now to a person on your mind. Gather resources and have them ready. Knowing what to do can help you move past fear, discomfort, and stigma. The more we talk about suicide prevention, the more we can fight stigma and build a safer, more compassionate world.

If you or someone you know needs help, dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat/

Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. To talk to someone, request an appointment today.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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