Preventing Suicide

1
Preventing Suicide

• Georgia State University
• Counseling Center
• [phone]

2
Scope of the Problem

• Suicide takes over 29,000 lives each year.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among
  college students and 3rd cause of death among
  persons 15-24.
• Jed Foundation, 2003
• Among persons aged 15-19 years, firearms related
  suicide accounted for 96 of the increase in the
  rate of suicide since 1980.
• Surgeon Generals Call to Action, 1999.

3
Scope of the Problem

• Nearly 90 of young adult suicide victims have at
  least one diagnosable, active mental illness at
  the time of their death.
• Only 15 of suicide victims were in treatment for
  that illness at the time of their death.
• Between 26-33 of young adult (15-24) suicide
  victims have made a previous attempt.
• Jed Foundation, 2003.

4
Risk Factors for College Students

• Two groups are at a higher risk
• Students who have pre-existing mental health
  conditions when they enter college (depression,
  bipolar disorder)
• Students who develop mental health problems
  during their college years.
• Depression, sadness and hopelessness seem to play
  a major role when a student feels suicidal.
• Safeguarding Your Students Against Suicide, 2002.

5
Other Risk Factors for Suicide

• Previous suicide attempt
• Mental disorders, particularly mood disorders
• Substance abuse disorders
• Family history of suicide
• Hopelessness and/or feelings of isolation
• Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies
• Unwillingness to seek help due to stigma.
• Relational, social, work/school or financial loss
• Surgeon Generals Call to Action, 1999

6
Protective Factors for Suicide

• Receiving appropriate clinical care for mental,
  physical, and substance abuse disorders.
• Easy access to a variety of clinical
  interventions and support for help seeking.
• Restricted access to highly lethal methods of
  suicide.
• Family and community support
• Learned skills in problem solving, conflict
  resolution, and nonviolent handling of disputes.
• Surgeon Generals Call to Action, 1999.

7
Signs of Depression

• Changes in sleeping, eating patterns
• Increased agitation and/or irritability.
• Fatigue, loss of energy.
• Inability to concentrate. / increased
  indecisiveness
• Loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
• Excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt.
• Reports feeling sad or empty, tearfulness
• Symptoms cause distress and marked impairment in
  functioning.

8
Warning Signs for Suicide

• Behavioral
• Suicide threats, previous attempts, gestures.
• Giving away prized possessions, other final
  arrangements
• Impulsive behaviors
• Disturbance in sleep or appetite
• Sudden changes in behavior (missing classes)
• Communicating ambivalence about life to others
• Increasing somatic complaints (headaches)

9
Warning Signs for Suicide

• Situational
• Report of gaining access to lethal means, or
  having lethal means within easy access.
• Discovery of suicide note, disclosure to friends.
• Escalating problems or turmoil in persons
  primary support environment.
• Interpersonal or relational loss that person
  seems unable to cope with (end of relationship,
  death in family, etc.)

10
InterventionSteps for Action

• Three-step process of
• Asking the right questions to gain information.
• Persuading person to get help.
• Referring person to counseling center for help.
• Addressing suicidality does not increase risk.
• Anyone who interacts with students and school
  staff is in a position to prevent suicide on
  campus.

11
Suicide Prevention

• It is helpful to begin by expressing your
  concerns about students well-being.
• Questions to ask
• Have you had thoughts of suicide?
• Have you ever thought of a plan to end your own
  life?
• Have you felt this way before? What happened?
• What has happened recently that is contributing
  to these feelings?
• Asking the right questions will help you when
  making a referral for services.

12
Suicide Prevention

• Important to remember
• Attention seeking is a cry for help.
• Trust your instinctsif you believe person is at
  risk for suicide, they likely are.
• Allow time to talk with the suicidal person.
• Do not wait to actfollow through with referral.
• Know your resources and where to refer.
• Document situation, if appropriate.

13
Getting help

• If you suspect that someone is suicidal
• Talk with that person to see if they have had
  thoughts of suicide.
• Suggest that counseling may help them with their
  problems and inform them of counseling services.
• If you are concerned about students safety,
  arrange to have them walked over to counseling
  center and notify counseling center immediately.
  

14
Preventing suicide

• Things to remember
• Trust your instincts if you believe someone is
  suicidalif youve thought it, theres a good
  chance they are.
• Never keep someones suicidality a secretremind
  them that you are most interested in helping them
  be safe.
• Know yourselfif you are not sure about whether
  you can handle a suicidal situationask for help!

15
Georgia State University Counseling Center

• Individual and group counseling services
• Hours M-F 9-5, T 9-8pm
• Students can walk-in for emergencies.
• Staff can call to discuss situation with
  counseling center staff.
• Students can initiate counseling services by
  coming to the counseling center and completing
  intake paperwork.

16
Georgia State UniversityCounseling Center

• [phone]
• Other services include
• Individual, couples, group counseling
• Stress management services
• Career counseling and educational services
• Life skills education (time management, test
  anxiety, transitioning to college, text book
  mastery)