Why do you need to know about suicide prevention? Here are a few reasons you should know about suicide prevention.
- More teens die from suicide than Cancer, Aids, Heart deisease, Birth defects, Strokes, Pnumania, Influenza, and Chronic Lung Diseas.
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause for death… it is often preventable you just need to know what to do and who to talk to.
- 90% of teens that die from suicide had a diagnosable mental illness
- Suicide is complex and involves a combination of factors.
Risk factors that make suicide more likely include:Family history of suicide
- Biological illness
- Mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Impulsive tendencies
- Isolation
- Suffered a loss
- Unwillingness to seek help
- Protective factors that act as a buffer against suicide:
- Family support
- Friend support
- Skills in problem solving
- Skills in nonviolent conflict resolution
- Access to mental health medical care
- What are the signs of suicide:
- Substance abuse
- Anxiety
- Feeling trapped
- Hopelessness
- Purposelessness
- Anger
- Isolation
- Mood Changes
- Recklessness
- Talking about suicide
- What can I do to help those who are suicidal?
- What are the warning signs of suicide?
#1- It is not your job to decide if someone is joking or not.
#2- It is not your job to be a counselor. You can question someone and persuade them to get help, but ultimately they need to be referred to an adult to get the help they need.
#3- Your only job is to refer your peers to an adult if you are concerned. The adult can decide what help they need. If you feel they are in immediate danger, you need to call 911 to have them do a “welfare” check on your peer.
What should I do if I have had suicidal thoughts myself?
- Tell an adult immediately
- There is HOPE! Things do get better! There is no shame in getting help.
- If your arm was broken would you go to the doctor? It’s the same with your mind. It is a part of your body and if it is not working properly, you need to get help!
- Adults you should refer your concerns to about yourself or a peer:
Parent, School Counselor, Principal, Church Leader, Coach, Teacher, School Police Officer
What does it mean to say DON’T KEEP DEADLY SECRETS
It means to tell someone if you or a peer are having suicidal thoughts. Most people tell someone else about these thoughts, so don’t keep a secret that could be deadly.
Text HOME to 741741 to reach a Crisis Counselor
Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support via a medium people already use and trust: text.
Suicidology.org
Cdc.gov
Teens.webmd.com
Who.int
Nimh.gov
Nami.org