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Know the Signs Know When to Get Help Know What to Do Know Where to Get Help What Parents Should Know

KNOW THE SIGNS

Did you know that 75% of all people who take their own lives give some warning of their intentions to a friend or family member? Would you know what to do if you were the person who was told?

Learn to recognize the signs. Take all threats and attempts seriously. Seek help as soon as possible by contacting a mental health professional or by call­ing the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK if you or someone you know exhibits any of the following signs:

Hopelessness
Dramatic mood changes
Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities—seemingly without thinking
Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide
Feeling trapped—as if there’s no way out
Giving away treasured belongings
Losing interest in personal appearance
Increasing alcohol or drug use
Withdrawing from friends, family, and society
Extreme anxiety or agitation; inability to sleep or sleeping all the time
Expressing no reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
Verbal signs:

“I’m so tired. I don’t feel like I can take this any longer.”

“I don’t want to be a bother anymore.”

“You won’t be able to treat me like this/take it out on me much longer.”
 

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KNOW WHEN TO GET HELP

Nearly everyone at some time in his or her life thinks about suicide. Most everyone decides to live because they come to realize that the crisis they are experiencing is temporary, but death is not. On the other hand, people in the midst of a crisis often think their dilemma is inescapable and feel an utter loss of control. Frequently, they:

Can’t stop the pain
Can’t think clearly
Can’t make decisions
Can’t see any way out
Can’t sleep, eat, or work
Can’t get out of the depression
Can’t make the sadness go away
Can’t see the possibility of change
Can’t see themselves as worthwhile
Can’t get someone’s attention
Can’t seem to get control 
 

If you experience any of these feelings, get help!

If you know someone who exhibits these feelings, offer help!

If you are experiencing any of these warning signs, please call (800) 273-TALK or (972) 233-TEEN.

Talk to someone.  You are not alone.

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KNOW WHAT TO DO
 

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.  Ask what is going on and how you can help. Be persistent. Be willing to listen. Allow for expression of feelings.  Be non-judgmental. Don’t act shocked; this creates distance.    

ASK QUESTIONS. If the person is depressed, don’t be afraid to ask whether he or she is considering suicide. Be direct.  Ask if they have a particular plan or method in mind. Talking openly about it is the first step toward help.

ENCOURAGE.  Let the person know that:

• You care and understand

• He or she is not alone

• Suicidal feelings are temporary

• Depression can be treated

• Problems can be solved

Don’t try to argue a person out of suicide.  Don’t say, “You have so much to live for” or “Think of how suicide will hurt those who love you.”  Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support.  Offer hope that alternatives are available.

GET HELP.  People who think about ending their lives often don’t believe they can be helped. You may be the critical link to saving a life. Take action! Get help from individuals or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

Try to get your friend to talk to someone—a parent, teacher, counselor, or adult friend.

Call (972) 233-TEEN, a 24-hour help line for teens, and hand over the phone to your friend. 

For adults, call (972) 233-TALK or (800) 273-TALK; both are 24-hour crisis lines. 

If you can’t get your friend to talk to someone and you feel that he or she is in danger, immediately call someone who can help.

If the situation is life-threatening, go with the person to the nearest emergency room, walk-in clinic, or mental health treatment center. Call 1-800-TALK and they will put you in touch with the nearest facility. 

HANG IN THERE.  Stay until you get help. DO NOT LEAVE the person alone until help is available. 

The important thing to remember is this:

Most suicides are preventable. Most people who die by suicide suffer from a serious but very treatable disorder. They just need someone to take them by the hand and lead them to help and hope.

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KNOW WHERE TO GET HELP
 

Contact:

A community mental health agency
A private therapist
A school counselor or psychologist
A family physician
A suicide prevention or crisis intervention center
A religious/spiritual leader
A national or local crisis hotline 

Call one of these crisis lines for help 24 hours a day. They can provide immediate help as well as information and referrals to other agencies in the community that can be of assistance.  These include shelters, alcohol and drug abuse programs, employment assistance programs and mental health professionals.

(214) 233-TEEN (8336)
TeenCONTACT Help Line
www.teencontact.org

(214) 233-2233
CONTACT Crisis Line
www.contactdallas.org

(214) 818-1000
Suicide and Crisis Center
www.sccenter.org

(800) 273-TALK (8255)
National Crisis Hotline
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org 
 

For general information:

Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
( 214) 871-2420        

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI Dallas)
(214) 350-7196        

Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
(214) 522-8600        

Consumer Council of Greater Dallas
(214) 871-2420        

Victims Outreach
(214) 358-5173        

Advocacy, Inc.
(214) 630-0916

 

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WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW
 

Some Things You Should Know About Preventing Teen Suicide.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics

Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all persons regardless of age, sex or race; the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24; and the fourth leading cause of death for persons between the ages of 10 and 14.⁽¹⁾

It is important to take the subject of suicide seriously. It doesn't seem right that a teen-ager - who has lived for such a short time - would choose to die. But adolescents who can't get over their depression sometimes do kill themselves.

Boys commit suicide more often than girls, but no one is immune. In one recent survey of high school students, 60 percent said they had thought about killing themselves. About 9 percent said they had tried at least once.

Why has the youth suicide rate gone so high in recent years?

It's easier to get the tools for suicide (Boys often use firearms to kill themselves; girls usually use pills);
the pressures of modern life are greater;
competition for good grades and college admission is stiff; and
there's more violence in the newspapers and on television.

Lack of parental interest may be another problem. Many children grow up in divorced households; for others, both of their parents work and their families spend limited time together. According to one study 90 percent of suicidal teen-agers believed their families did not understand them. (However, this is such a common teen-age complaint that other factors are playing a role, too.) Young people also reported that when they tried to tell their parents about their feelings of unhappiness or failure, their mother and father denied or ignored their point of view.

If your teen-ager has been depressed, you should look closely for signs that he or she might be thinking of suicide:

• Has his personality changed dramatically?
• Is he having trouble with a girlfriend (or, for girls, with a boyfriend)? Or is he having trouble getting along with other friends or with parents? Has he withdrawn from people he used to feel close to?
• Is the quality of his schoolwork going down? Has he failed to live up to his own or someone else's standards (when it comes to school grades, for example)?
• Does he always seem bored, and is he having trouble concentrating?
• Is he acting like a rebel in an unexplained and severe way?
• Is she pregnant and finding it hard to cope with this major life change?
• Has he run away from home?
• Is your teen-aager abusing drugs and/or alcohol?
• Is she complaining of headaches, stomachaches, etc., that may or may not be real?
• Have his eating or sleeping habits changed?
• Has his or her appearance changed for the worse?
• Is he giving away some of his most prized possessions?
• Is he writing notes or poems about death?
• Does he talk about suicide, even jokingly? Has he said things such as, "That's the last straw," "I can't take it anymore," or "Nobody cares about me?" (Threatening to kill oneself precedes four out of five suicidal deaths.)
• Has he tried to commit suicide before?

If you suspect that your teen-ager might be thinking about suicide, do not remain silent. Suicide is preventable, but you must act quickly.

• Ask your teen-ager about it. Don't be afraid to say the word "suicide." Getting the word out in the open may help your teen-ager think someone has heard his cries for help.
• Reassure him that you love him. Remind him that no matter how awful his problems seem, they can be worked out, and you are willing to help.
• Ask her to talk about her feelings. Listen carefully. Do not dismiss her problems or get angry at her.
• Remove all lethal weapons from your home, including guns, pills, kitchen utensils and ropes.
• Seek professional help. Ask your teen-ager's pediatrician to guide you. A variety of outpatient and hospital-based treatment programs are available.

Friday, J.C., Ph.D., "The Psychological Impact of Violence in Underserved Communities," Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Vol. 6, No. 4, 1995, pp. 403-409.

American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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