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Education Meeting Review: Suicide Prevention
SEPTEMBER 2010
Many of us who are involved with NAMI
have been touched by suicide. It is
terrifying and heart breaking to watch
your loved one crashing, to listen as
they say there is no reason to go on, or
worse yet, having them say nothing.
NAMI MC was very
lucky to have Wendy Turner, LCSW-C, CCW,
a supervisory therapist at the
Montgomery County Crisis Center present
on this important topic and provide the
following notes on what to look for and
keys to prevention. Her full
presentation has been posted online at
www.namimc.org/resources.asp.
Important Tips:
- Each individual has a limited
capacity for stress.
- Communicate! Speak your fears
and ask your loved one directly if
they are suicidal.
- Suicidal thoughts do not always
require hospitalization.
- During times of crisis lean on
your treatment team and resources
like the Crisis Center (240-777-4000
available 24 hrs a day 7 days a
week) or a suicide helpline
- If your loved one does express
suicidal thoughts - you should
contact their treatment team, or
crisis services immediately.
Motivations for
Suicidal Behavior:
-
To end pain
-
To
escape problems/consequences
-
Excessive guilt
-
In
response to psychotic symptoms
-
Communication
-
Attention-seeking
-
Manipulation
-
Cry
for Help
Warning Signs:
-
Depressed mood
-
Hopelessness
-
Helplessness
-
Preoccupation with death,
dying
-
Absence of focus on future,
lack of pleasure in life
-
Comments about not being
able to go on or life not
worth living
-
Low self-worth
-
Unpleasant, derogatory or
destructive command voices
or messages
-
Very distressing symptoms
such as disturbing,
frightening delusions
(false, fixed beliefs)
Risk Factors:
-
Acute or unresolved grief
and loss issues
-
Health issues
-
Financial hardship
-
Legal hardship
-
Relationship issues
-
Mental illness
-
Failure to achieve normal
age-related life goals
-
History (trauma, abuse,
suicidal behavior)
-
Substance abuse
Keys to Prevention:
-
Early
Recognition
-
Early
Intervention
-
Enhancing support systems
-
Enhancing coping skills
-
Keeping communication channels
open
-
Opportunities for observing
-
You
can inform the treatment
provider even if they don’t have
a release to speak to you
-
Understanding the mental illness
-
Balancing demands placed on the
person
-
“Pick
your battles”
-
Living in your home provides
additional leverage
-
On
the other hand you may need to
set limits/have the person move
out if the home life is
unmanageable/unsafe
In addition to many of the books
listed on our resources page, Ms.
Turner provided audience members
with a copy of an article entitled
"Messages of Suicide" by John L
Hipple, Ph.D. which was originally
published in the June/July 1989
issue of Adolescent Counselor
magazine. This article, while
providing information about youth
and suicide, delineates a number of
messages frequently heard from
individuals contemplating suicide
which Ms. Turner and her colleagues
have found to be reliable across
many age groups. Copies are
available in the NAMI MC Office ( 11718
Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852,
301-949-5852).
Suicide may be the biggest fear for
family members - but with awareness,
education, communication, and
support there are many ways to
intervene and reduce the risk of
suicide.
RESOURCES
To see
organizations, websites, and books about
Suicide Prevention visit
www.namimc.org/resources.asp
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