IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE PLANNING A SUICIDE CALL:

STUDENT COUNSELING CENTER (605) 677-5777
SUICIDE HELP LINE (SIOUX FALLS) (605) 339-2737
SAMARITANS NATIONAL SUICIDE HELPLINE 1-508-875-4500
 

When assessing the risk of someone attempting suicide, remember the acronym: P.L.A.I.D. and S.A.L.A.D.

P  Plan - does the person have one?

L  Lethality - is the plan lethal?

A  Availability - Can the person carry out their plan?

I   Illness - Does the person have a physical illness?  Do they have signs of a mental illness?

D  Depression - Has the person been chronically depressed?  Are they currently depressed?  Did they have a recent crisis?

S   Specific: How specific is the plan?

A  Availibility: Do they have the means to carry it out?

L   Lethality: How lethal/deadly is the plan?

A  Alcohol/Drugs: Have any substances been used recently?

D  Depression: Are there signs of depression or mental illness?

1. Take it seriously. 75 % of those who completed suicide left hints that they were in deep pain. Maybe their problems didn't look big to others, but they were to them.

2. Remember that suicide is a cry for help. Most people are willing to be talked out of it if given the chance. They want the pain to end more than they want to die but suicide may look like the only way out.

3. Be willing to get/give help sooner than later. People are afraid to seek help because they think their pain will be even greater.  Getting help usually brings relief and new coping skills for problems. If people can trust others to become involved even when it feels awkward, they can control the risk of suicide before it's too late.

4. Listen. Let the person talk about their troubles and feelings. The important thing is not to face the pain alone.  We need to let the person know we're glad they confided in us. Support them emotionally but avoid giving advice or getting into power plays or arguments.

5. Ask the person, "Are you having thoughts of suicide?" Bringing up the subject won't make it happen but will show that we can accept suicidal feelings in others.

6. If the person is acutely suicidal, do not leave them alone. Get backup and organize a suicide watch while the risk is highest and feelings are strongest. If we know the suicide plan, we need to get rid of guns, ropes, knives, etc.

7. Urge the person to get professional help. Mental-health professionals have the training and experience to help. Be persistent and patient in referring the person to a counselor or treatment center.

8. No secrets. When the person says, "Don't tell anyone," it's because they're afraid of having even more pain.  They think they need to  handle their situation alone but they can't because it's too big.  They can get the help they need and still protect their privacy.

9. From crisis to recovery. Most people who are suicidal suffer from problems or conditions that will pass with time or counseling or a recovery program. Even though only 2% of all deaths are completed suicides, we know that suicide lines prevent many deaths, so we know that intervention works.

10. Most suicide attempts are accompanied by losses in the person's life.  They may not realize that they have problem-solving skills to cope with their loss.

IF YOU'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, CONSIDER THIS: "Suicide is not chosen; it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain." (quoted from David Conroy article @ Metanoia {http://www.metanoia.org/})

        We aren't bad or flawed for wanting to commit suicide. We just have more pain than we can cope with at this time, like a weightlifter who has piled on too many weights. When our pain exceeds our ability to take it we have three options: we can say, "the hell with it" and leave the fitness center (suicide), we can remove weights (decrease the pain) or increase our training (add coping skills).

        The trouble with suicide is that most situations change or get better with time.  If someone takes their life, they won't feel the pain anymore, but will they feel relief when they're dead?  They'll never know what could have been. Sometimes all it takes is 24 hours to change a situation around.

        A lot of pain comes from feeling isolated and alone.  People need to be with others when they're suicidal.  They also need to watch whom they trust. Some people are shocked or judgmental about suicide, which says more about them than about us.  It's important to talk to people who will just care and understand that someone is hurting. If there is no one close by, we can call the nearest counseling crisis team listed at the top of this page (605) 677-5777, Sioux Falls hotline at (605) 339-2737 or Samaritans hotline at 1-508-875-4500 and talk to people who are ready to talk.

        Many suicides come from some form of depression, which is very treatable. New anti-depressant drugs can alleviate depression with minimal side effects. Many different forms of therapy, including cognitive-behavioral and group, are very successful in helping people work out depressed and suicidal feelings. Also, these books can help:

Out of the Nightmare: Recovery from Depression and Suicidal Pain, by David L. Conroy, Ph.D. (New Liberty Press, 1991, ISBN 1-879204-00-2). Recommended reading for every suicidal person, therapist, counselor, friends and families of suicidal persons and those left behind by the suicide of a loved one. Non-technical and comprehensive.

Suicide: The Forever Decision by Paul G. Quinnett, Ph.D. (Continuum, 1989, $8.95, ISBN 0-8264-0391-3. Frank and helpful conversation with a therapist who cares.

Choosing to Live: How To Defeat Suicide Through Cognitive Therapy by Thomas E. Ellis, Psy.D. and Cory F. Newman, Ph.D. (New Harbinger Publications, 1996, $12.95, ISBN 1-57224-056-3). All these books are available from Amazon.com.

Metanoia (http://www.metanoia.org/)
San Francisco Suicide Prevention (http://www.sfsuicide.org/index2.html)
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program (http://www.yellowribbon.org/)
 www.odos.uiuc.edu/Counseling ?????????????? http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/counserv.htm
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