# **St. Louis Job Corps** 

# **Suicide Prevention/Intervention**

Judith A. Tindall, Ph.D.

## 

# 

# *[Why People Commit Suicide]{.underline}*

## *The following are situations that can trigger suicidal feelings:*

### Depression- Leading cause of suicide

### Crisis- Major life changes

### Substance abuse

### Old age

### 

# *[High Risk Groups]{.underline}*

## Elderly - Feelings of loneliness, loss of friends or spouse, loss of income and independence. 

## Young adults and college students - Burdened with independence and responsibility for the first time, pressured to succeed in college or on the job.

## Business people and professionals - The pressures to succeed and disillusionment over unfulfilled dreams.

## Minorities and the poor - Despair brought on by discrimination, poverty, unemployment and feeling of being trapped.

## Children - Brought on by child abuse or neglect and an inability to communicate feelings or ask for help

## Suicide affects all people!

# *[Warning Signs]{.underline}*

## Suicide is rarely a spur of the moment decision and most people give warning signs that they are contemplating taking their own lives. Some signs include:

### Previous attempts-youth who make one attempt are at an elevated risk to make another attempt-within 3 mo. of 1^st^ attempt. 

### Depression- long term

### Personality or behavioral changes

### Preparation for death- suddenly gives away things, makes out a will, stockpiling sleeping pills. 

#  

# *[Recognizing Behaviors]{.underline}*

## Talking or joking about suicide

## Giving away possessions

## Preoccupation with death/violence

## Behaving in a risky manner such as jumping from high places, running into traffic

## Having several accidents resulting in injury, close calls or brush with death

## Obsession with guns and knives

## Expressing hopelessness

## Sleeping too much or too little 

## Talk of worthlessness

## Substance abuse

## Frequent visits to the doctor without relief in symptoms

## Inability to concentrate, unable to find pleasure in anything

# 

# *[Verbal Cues]{.underline}*

If you hear any of these, intervene to prevent a suicide:

## "I shouldn't be here."

## "I hate this life"

## "Everyone would be better off without me"

## "I wish I were dead."

## "I wish I could disappear forever."

## "The voices tell me to kill myself."

## "I want to see what it feels like to die."

## "I can't go on any longer" 

## "I want to die" 

## "I'm going to kill myself." 

## "I am going to run away." 

## "If a person did this, would he die?"

##  "Maybe if I died, people would love me more." 

## Complaints of aches and pains

## 

# *[Suicide Risk Assessment]{.underline}*

## Please check those items that apply.

## Talking or threatening to kill or harm self

## Previous suicide attempts

## Severe depression

## Sudden energy following a depression (energy is needed to commit suicide)

## Loss of an important person or thing, ideal, or self-esteem

## Making final arrangements (saying goodbye, distancing from friends, giving away prized possessions) 

## Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol

## Themes of death and dying in the persons writing and artwork

## High stress in the person's life. Adult- loss of a loved one, loss of job, money, prestige, sickness; changes in life or environment

## The person seems to have a suicidal plan that is logical and well thought out

## The person does not have many sources of support (does not have friends or family, or they are not available)

## Severe health problems or constant complaints of illness

## Communication very limited and, if tried to communicate, was not successful

# ***What does this mean?***

## Results: 

## 1-3 checked: Continue to be with the person and make contact with them later.

## 4-7 checked: Encourage the person to get professional help.

## 7+ checked: Take action and inform a mental health professional about this person and get additional help.

# 

# *[What to do to help the Suicidal Person]{.underline}*

## Give emotional support- Don't challenge the person, but take him or her seriously and offer to help. Listen to what they have to say. Stay with the person.

## Encourage positive action- Suggest steps the person can do to help him or herself. Help them stay busy, balance both work and play. Take time to relax.

## Suggest they talk to clergy

## Seek professional help- Wellness Center, suicide centers, hospitals, mental health professional

## 

# ***Questions to Keep Them Talking and Defuse Thinking***

-   What would have to be different for you to agree to go on living?

-   What people would have to help you with that?

-   What would you like help with?

-   What do you want people to understand about you?

# 

# ***Helping Survivors to Live on After a Suicide***

-   Assist others cope with loss.

-   Listen at length to them talk about the person that committed
    suicide

-   Help them understand stages of loss- denial, anger, guilt, sadness,
    bargaining, acceptance

-   Suggest that the person join a survivor-counseling group

-   Short-term help from a mental health professional

-   Tell them that you are there to listen

# 

# *[Case Study]{.underline}*

## ***Case Study of Tyrone*** 

## Tyrone has lost his mother about a year ago and has not come to terms with it. He is very unhappy most of the time. At times, I have found him crying in the restroom. In the last two months, he has started to drink heavily. He recently gave away his favorite jacket to a friend. I was having lunch with him in the cafeteria and he said, "I don't feel like going on".

***What do you do? Practice in Helping a Suicidal Person***

## Work in pairs to discuss how you would handle the case study

## Practice with your partner using active listening skills and intervention skills.

## Debrief after the practice:

## What went well?

## What could have gone better? 

# 

# *[Plan of Action]{.underline}*

## I will assist others to understand suicide by. . . 

## I will assist others that are considering suicide by. . .

## I need the following help to be able to help others. . . 

# 

# *Evidence Base for Suicide Prevention Strategies*

## School based suicide awareness curriculums

## Screening

## Gatekeeper Training (similar to CPR) 

## Crisis centers and hotlines

## Restriction of lethal means

## Media education

## Crisis intervention

# 

# *Possible Referral Sources* 

## Talk with your Counselor/R.A./CMHC

## Wellness Center

## Contact local hospital

## [[www.suicideprevention.org]{.underline}](http://www.suicideprevention.org/) 

# *[The Personal and Public Tragedy of Suicide]{.underline}*

## "The suffering of the suicidal is private and inexpressible, leaving family members, friends and colleagues to deal with an almost unfathomable kind of loss, as well as guilt. Suicide carries in its aftermath a level of confusion and devastation that is, for the most part, beyond description". 

## -Kay Redfield Jamison

# *[Professional References]{.underline}*

## Job Corps Information Notice No. 02-13

## Job Corps Program Instruction 95-23

-   Adolescent Suicide Prevention, April 5, 1996

-   Information Notice: 00-06, Suicide Prevention in Job Corps,\
    Oct. 4, 2000

-   Dr. Valerie Cherry, Principal MHC

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-   Youth Suicide Prevention Programs: A Resource Guide, 1992
    [[www.cdc.govb/ncipc/pub-res/youthsui.htm]{.underline}](http://www.cdc.govb/ncipc/pub-res/youthsui.htm)
    or call 1-800-311-3435

-   Tindall, Judith. [Peer Power, Book 2,]{.underline} Applying Peer
    Helper Skills (Module on Suicide Prevention). Taylor & Francis
    1-800-821-8312

-   American Association of Suicidology,
    [[www.suicidology.org]{.underline}](http://www.suicidology.org/)

-   American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,
    [[www.afsp.org]{.underline}](http://www.afsp.org/)

-   SAVE, [[www.save.org]{.underline}](http://www.save.org/)

-   Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network,
    [www.spanusa.org](http://www.spanusa.org/)

-   National Strategy for Suicide Prevention,
    [[www.mentalhealth.org/suicideprevention]{.underline}](http://www.mentalhealth.org/suicideprevention)

-   National Institute of Mental Health Suicide Research Consortium,
    [[www.nimh.nih.gov/rewearch/suicide.htm]{.underline}](http://www.nimh.nih.gov/rewearch/suicide.htm)

-   Suicide Prevention Resource Center,
    [[www.SPRC.org]{.underline}](http://www.sprc.org/)

-   Surgeon General's Call to Action,
    [[www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/calltoaction.htm]{.underline}](http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/calltoaction.htm)

-   [[http://www.suicide.org]{.underline}](http://www.suicide.org/)

## [[http://www.sprc.org]{.underline}](http://www.sprc.org/) (Get your own state)

-   [[http://www.suicidology.org]{.underline}](http://www.suicidology.org/)

-   National Suicide Prevention Lifeline- 1-800-273-TALK

# 

# 

## 

## Judith A. Tindall, Ph.D., CMHC 

## Psychological Network, Inc.

## 58 Portwest Ct. 

## St. Charles, MO 63303

636-916-5800

[[psynetinc@sbcglobal.net]{.underline}](mailto:psynetinc@sbcglobal.net)

[[http://www.psynetinc.com]{.underline}](http://www.psynetinc.com/)