Signs a young person may be suicidal:

• Threatening to hurt or kill themselves
• Seeking access to pills, weapons, or other means to kill themselves
• Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide (including schoolwork and artwork)
• Expressing hopelessness, no reason for living, or having no sense of purpose
• Having rage, anger, or seeking revenge
• Acting recklessly or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
• Feeling trapped
• Increasing alcohol or drug use
• Withdrawing from friends, family, or society
• Having a dramatic change in mood (may even be a shift from being sad and depressed to happy, with a sense of resolve; often with no clear indication of how or why the shift in mood occurred)
• Sleeping all the time or being unable to sleep
• Giving away prized possession(s)

What to do if you see these signs:

• Remain calm—the student is talking to you because they want your help
• Talk to the student—express concern and that you are willing to help.
• Be direct—Ask “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” or “Are you thinking of killing yourself?”
• Listen with empathy and without judgement. Observe their total response, including tone and body language.
• Remember to consider and respect the student’s culture—such as eye contact, physical space, and language as well as the role and relationship you have with the student.
• Clearly state that thoughts of suicide are common and that help is available to discuss these thoughts
• Tell the student that thoughts of suicide do not have to be acted on.
• Encourage the student to do most of the talking, if they are able to.

EGUSD Incident Reporting System