BE
AWARE OF THE FACTS:
1. Suicide
is preventable. Most suicide victims do
not want to die.
2. Suicide
is the eighth leading cause of death.
More people kill themselves than other people. Suicide ranks ahead of homicide as a leading
cause of death.
3. Talking
about suicide does not cause someone to be suicidal.
4. Suicidal
behavior is not inherited but the risk is higher for family members who have
lost a close relative to suicide.
5. The
suicide rate is higher for the elderly than any other age group.
6. Suicide
is the second leading cause of death among young people. Accidents are number one, but even some of
these accidents could be suicides, such as single-car accidents.
7. Suicide
claims the lives of at least 30,000 persons annually in the United States.
8. Five
states have passed legislation providing for school suicide prevention
programs. Federal legislation is still
pending.
9. The
incidence of suicide among young people has nearly tripled during the last
three decades.
10. Three times as
many men kill themselves as compared to women, yet three times as many women
attempt suicide as compared to men.
11. More than 80
percent of people communicate their intent to kill themselves before they
attempt to do so. They leave clues as to
their distress and/or plans.
12. The American
Association of Suicidology provides leadership for research, education, crisis
intervention training, and standards for suicide prevention agencies. AAS publishes the professional journal, Suicide
and Life Threatening Behavior, quarterly.
It also holds an annual conference to provide a forum for the presentation
of recent research activities and current suicide prevention programs.
BE AWARE OF DO'S
AND DON'TS
Ways
To Be Helpful To Someone Who Is Threatening Suicide
1. Be
aware. Learn the warning signs.
2. Get
involved. Become available. Show interest and support.
3. Ask
if he or she is thinking about suicide.
4. Be
direct. Talk openly and freely about
suicide.
5. Be
willing to listen. Allow expressions of
feelings. Accept the feelings.
6. Be non-judgmental. Don't debate whether suicide is right or
wrong, or feelings are good or bad.
Don't lecture on the value of life.
7. Don't
dare him or her to do it.
8. Don't
give advice by making decisions for someone else or tell him or her to behave differently.
9. Don't
ask "why." This encourages
defensiveness.
10. Offer empathy,
not sympathy.
11. Don't act
shocked. This will put distance between
you.
12. Don't be sworn
to secrecy. Seek support.
13. Offer hope that
alternatives are available but do not offer glib reassurance. It only proves you don't understand.
14. Take action. Remove means. Get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.