It is a myth that suicide cannot be prevented. It
can be prevented.
The first step to preventing suicide is to question. Try to get
the person in a private setting. If at the end of your questioning
you are convinced the person is serious about ending his/her life,
YOU MUST GET THEM HELP IMMEDIATELY! People who are thinking about
suicide are not necessarily being irrational. They see suicide
as a solution to their problems. It is important to help them realize
there are other solutions; be prepared to offer solutions if you
say they exist! Here are a few questions that may help you prevent
suicide:
You should call 911 immediately and while you are waiting, you
can call and speak to a trained counselor on what to do until emergency
help arrives. If in Fulton or Clayton Counties, call 404-730-1600
(or 1-800-866-821-0465) and if in Dekalb County, call 404-892-4646.
- Do you ever feel hopeless? Feelings of hopelessness are often
associated with suicidal thoughts.
- Do you have thoughts of death? A "yes" response
may indicate suicidal desires, but not necessarily suicidal plans.
Many persons who are depressed say they think they'd be better
off dead (dying in their sleep or being killed in an accident).
Most will say they have no intention of killing self.
- Do you have impulses or urges to kill yourself? A "yes" indicates
active desire to die. This is a more serious situation.
- Do you have actual plans to kill yourself? If "yes",
then ask about specific plans. Danger is greatest when plans
are clear and specific, and when method chosen is lethal.
- Is there anything that would stop you, such
as family or religious beliefs? If person feels
others are better off without them and they have no deterrents,
suicide is more likely.
- Have you made suicide attempts in the past? Previous
attempts indicate that future ones are more likely. Even if previous
attempts did not seem serious, the next may be fatal, don't
minimize previous attempts. All attempts should be taken seriously.
- Would you be willing to talk to someone
or ask for help? If the
person is cooperative and has a plan for reaching out or
is willing to accept help, the danger is less than if they
are stubborn, secretive, hostile and unwilling to ask for
help.
Other helpful questions are:
- Do you ever wish you could go to sleep and never wake up?
- Do you want to stop living?
This information was contributed by NAMI Georgia