As
someone who is working with or cares about someone who may be
suicidal, you will likely have many concerns about your own
role and actions. Listed below are a series of common
concerns of people in helping roles to individuals who may be
suicidal.
COMMON
CONCERN #1
All
suicidal people are not clinically depressed (Reference
1).
The
details are:
A diagnosis of major depression increases
the risk of suicide, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal
self-mutilation.
NOT all persons with
a diagnosed depressive disorder are suicidal nor do they
have suicidal thoughts.
Depression is a significant risk factor
for suicidal thinking and actions, but there may be many
causes for an individual's specific suicidal behavior.
COMMON
CONCERN #2
Talking
about suicide does not encourage someone to attempt suicide
(Reference 2).
The
details are:
You do not give a person morbid ideas by
talking about suicide
Talking about suicide with a suicidal person,
expresses caring, indicates that the threat of suicide is
taken seriously, demonstrates a willingness to help, and
shows a willingness to listen
Talking about suicide with a suicidal person
also helps to gain information about the individual that
can be shared with their primary care giver in order to
quicken their ability to get appropriate treatment
Talking about suicide with non-suicidal
persons educates and dispels the social misunderstanding
and stigma associated with suicide
Addressing the subject of suicide and discussing
it openly is one of the most helpful things that you can
do.
Electronic, print, and multimedia
resources are provided to help you to find additional authoritative
information on Common concerns about suicide. These resources
are available from such national organizations as The National
Institute of Mental Health as well as professional organizations,
not-for-profit organizations, and educational institutions.
Internet
National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The
NIMH is the primary National Institute of Health organization
for research on suicide and suicide prevention. The
NIMH offers specific resources, research, tools, and reports
for individuals in helping roles, health care professionals,
and researchers interested in learning more about suicide
and suicide prevention.
Learn
more from the NIMH Web site's Frequently Asked Questions available
at the following Web address:
