Topic: Suicide

Suicide is a difficult topic for everyone involved. According to the Center for Disease Control in 2016, suicide is reported as one of the top 10 leading causes of death for American’s across every age group, which affirms the importance for the topic to be addressed. I am also not claiming to address the entirety of the topic in the following blog post. Instead, I will make three points on the topic, which includes safety, intervention and ongoing, open, non-judgmental communication always.

Safety

If you (or someone you know) feel unsafe or like they want to hurt themselves, the best and most necessary goal is to focus on safety. Safety is a place where suicidal thoughts are not entertained and where productive helping conversations happen. There is a myth that talking about suicide leads to increased suicide attempts, and this is not true. Talking about suicide is the first step to intervening suicidal thinking and subsequent actions. Safety is necessary and the ultimate place where we all want to live within. When safety cannot be confirmed, the next step would be to go to the closest emergency department or calling 911 for immediate help to try to facilitate a safe environment.

Intervention

Talking about suicide is an intervention. Sharing about your own struggles or experiences with suicide is something that can inspire a deeper connection over difficult topics. There are warning signs that can be identified through the acronym: IS PATH WARM which stands for:

• Isolation

• Substance abuse

• Purposelessness

• Anger

• Trapped

• Hopelessness

• Withdrawn

• Anxiety

• Recklessness

• Mood changes

Talking to someone when you notice any of the IS PATH WARM behaviors is a great place to start the conversation to communicate that you care and are concerned. Bringing attention to the warning signs emphasizes that you care enough to have a hard conversation with someone. Three steps to having this conversation include asking Questions to understand the person’s reasons for living and, Persuade using these reasons and Refer the person to the hospital emergency department, counseling services or their care team. There are a variety of reasons why someone would start considering suicide as an option, learning what the reason is for the person in a crisis can help them more than you will ever know.

Just remember: Question, Persuade, Refer

Ongoing, Open, Non-Judgmental Communication Always

The same 2016 CDC study that I mentioned above also found that 8.8% of adults (persons aged 18+) in the US have serious thoughts to intentionally hurt themselves. Keeping the conversation open about what you are noticing (IS PATH WARM) or how symptoms are changing for good and for worse. The conversation about suicidal thinking and acting is for everyone and must be non-judgmental, open and ongoing. By talking about suicidal thinking and acting frequently it becomes less of a formal conversation and more of a follow up about changes and needs. Relationships, where we can share and be listened to, is largely what makes the counseling relationship work. Listening to someone about their difficulties can be difficult for you too, but that does not mean that the conversation is insignificant. Press in, ask questions and listen intentionally.

If you or someone is struggling with suicide, there are local resources to San Diego (listen below) but in the event of an emergency, the best intervention is to call 911. If you have the chance to go to the hospital because you are thinking about suicide, do it. Do not wait for a better time; the best time is now.

• 911

• San Diego Access and Crisis Line: 888–724–7240

• San Diego Access and Crisis Confidential Chat Room: https://svcrplv.uhc.com/sdchat/

• San Diego Up2Us (mental health campaign): https://up2sd.org/about/contact-the-campaign/

• National Suicide Prevention Confidential Hotline: 1–800–273–8255

• National Suicide Prevention Confidential Chat Room: http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/

• The information found in this blog post is from these sources:

  • https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml

  • https://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcause.html

  • http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

  • http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/how-we-can-all-prevent-suicide/

  • https://www.counseling.org/resources/library/ACA%20Digests/ACAPCD-03.pdf

  • https://qprinstitute.com/about-qpr

  • https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/20/707686101/reach-out-ways-to-help-a-loved-one-at-risk-of-suicide

©Grayson Wallen 2021. All Rights Reserved. Terms & Conditions Apply.

Disclaimer: Grayson’s credentials are noted in the footer below. This blog post is not intended to replace therapy or counseling services. While this post may represent psychoeducational content that brings clarity or helps you personally, Grayson encourages you to process your findings and concerns with your mental health counselor and/or other trusted people in your life. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about the content of this post, or want to start counseling please contact Grayson directly.

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