Suicide - know what to ask so you can try and prevent it
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Four years ago my little sister Annie killed herself.
Since then I have learnt some suicide first aid.
If you suspect someone you know is thinking of killing themselves, here are a few tips that I picked up from Lifelines' suicide prevention course to find out how much danger a person is in.
First you have to be very clear when you address the issue of someone taking their own life, don't beat around the bush ask the person directly:
- are you thinking of killing yourself; or taking you're own life (not are you thinking of harming yourself as they might not think suicide is harming themselves)
- do you have a history of mental illness, like depression, psychosis (people who have mental illnesses can be more at risk of killing themselves)
- have you tried to kill yourself before? (people who have tried before have a greater chance of trying it again)
- do you have a plan to kill yourself? And, if so, what is that plan (a person with a plan can be very close to actually to doing it and may be in imminent danger)
If you get a yes to all these questions, take it seriously, listen to why the person wants to do it, and depending on what they have been planning (e.g. if they have something there that they are planning to take soon or perhaps that evening) seek help from a mental health professional.
If you suspect a person is thinking of taking their own life, you won't forgive yourself for not asking these things. Don't screw around - ask the questions and see if you, or a mental health professional, can help them out of it. Once they are dead, they are dead, and, as in the case with my little sister Annie, you will always be left wondering, 'why didn't I know she was going to do that?'...
May all beings be at peace, may all beings be happy.
Since then I have learnt some suicide first aid.
If you suspect someone you know is thinking of killing themselves, here are a few tips that I picked up from Lifelines' suicide prevention course to find out how much danger a person is in.
First you have to be very clear when you address the issue of someone taking their own life, don't beat around the bush ask the person directly:
- are you thinking of killing yourself; or taking you're own life (not are you thinking of harming yourself as they might not think suicide is harming themselves)
- do you have a history of mental illness, like depression, psychosis (people who have mental illnesses can be more at risk of killing themselves)
- have you tried to kill yourself before? (people who have tried before have a greater chance of trying it again)
- do you have a plan to kill yourself? And, if so, what is that plan (a person with a plan can be very close to actually to doing it and may be in imminent danger)
If you get a yes to all these questions, take it seriously, listen to why the person wants to do it, and depending on what they have been planning (e.g. if they have something there that they are planning to take soon or perhaps that evening) seek help from a mental health professional.
If you suspect a person is thinking of taking their own life, you won't forgive yourself for not asking these things. Don't screw around - ask the questions and see if you, or a mental health professional, can help them out of it. Once they are dead, they are dead, and, as in the case with my little sister Annie, you will always be left wondering, 'why didn't I know she was going to do that?'...
May all beings be at peace, may all beings be happy.
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