Prevention

• Giving away prized possessions, settling unfinished business as if there was an unexpected sense of urgency to wrap things up.

• Sudden feelings of relief from old worries and a burst of energy following an extended period of despair as if a solution to all of life’s problems had been discovered.

• Saying farewell to friends and family members, making final arrangements as if they are going to leave forever.

• Loss of hope and a growing sense of personal emptiness.

• Confusion and inability to see options, appearing to be lost in a growing whirlwind of disorientation, lack of organized thinking or action.

• Impatience or impulsivity especially when choices made represent a threat to the safety of self and others.

•Standing in harm’s way, taking life-threatening risks and demonstrating a limited ability to control their own actions and reactions regardless of the level of danger involved.

•Increased use of alcohol or other drugs, using more of a substance in an attempt to escape all feelings.

•Direct or indirect references to self-harm in conversation, recurrence of death themes in spoken, written, or other artistic expressions.

•Talking about suicide especially when they have a personal history that includes prior suicide attempts and gestures, or a family history that included the loss of a relative or close friend to suicide.

• Listen closely to what your friend is telling you. Encourage your friend to express their feelings. Accept those feelings. Remind your friend that they are NOT alone.

• Don’t judge or lecture your friend. Avoid giving advice. Keep your friend engaged in a conversation focused on their feelings, thoughts and choices.

• Get involved. Stay hopeful and helpful. Let them know that you care and offer your support.

• Listen for words and watch for actions that might suggest your friend is feeling suicidal. Ask you friend directly about suicide:

​“Are you feeling like hurting yourself?”

​“Are you thinking about ending your life?”

​“Have your ever felt so down that you thought about killing yourself?”

​“I’m worried about how you are acting. Is the possibility of suicide

​on your mind?”

• Take all talk of suicide seriously. Insist on getting help right away. Stay with your friend until you can get them in direct contact with a qualified professional who is trained to make an assessment of risk. Avoid trying to be an expert.

• No secrets. Ask for the help of others who can make a difference. This is one instance where a traditional sense of confidentiality must be set aside. A trusted friend will let other people know about the dangers of the situation so that your friend will find greater safety and get the help that is desperately needed.

• Insist that all firearms be removed from their home immediately. Over-the-counter medications and prescriptions should be inaccessible as well. This, more than any other step, can make the difference between an attempt and a death. Reduce the access to the means of self-harm.

• Take action. Help your friend to feel connected with community resources: a suicide crisis hotline, emergency services at a local hospital, a private therapist, a school counselor or psychologist, a family physician, religious organization, or community mental health agency. Reach out for help by yourself if your friend refuses to go with you. Don’t try to fix the situation alone.

• Reassure your friend that you care about them, that you and others want them to live, and that there is always an alternative to suicide.

• Do your best to help, while remembering that your friend alone is responsible for their own choices and actions.