According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. This month is National Suicide Prevention Month, a way to raise awareness and take action. One way is to ask the question on whether someone is having thoughts of suicide. Thomas Otten, Assistant Vice President of Avera Behavioral Health Services joins us with information on how you can support others in getting the help they may need.
What are the warning signs of suicide?
There are several warning signs for suicide that people can really look for, certainly depression and suicide often go hand in hand. If you look at the signs and symptoms of depression they will often mimic those of suicide, looking for people who are feeling hopeless, feeling helpless, sometimes it’s things that used to give them pleasure, they’re no longer interested in, withdrawing from things, and real changes in behavior, sometimes it’s sleeping too much and sometimes it’s not sleeping at all. But significant changes in behavior is certainly something to be paying attention to. Lastly it’s just talking about suicide or talking about wishing they were dead or feeling like people would be better off without them here. Those are some classic warning signs to be looking out for.
How do you ask the question if you think someone is considering suicide?
Generally you start with asking questions about how they are doing or where they are at. Where you need to eventually get, you need to get to the question ‘are you having thoughts of suicide?’ It’s not just ‘are you having a tough day, are you having thoughts of hurting yourself,’ but really naming it what it is, ‘are you having thoughts of suicide?’ The research is extremely clear on this, that you asking that question will not plant the idea that somebody had if they weren’t already thinking about that. And if they were thinking about that, it gives the perfect opportunity to open a door for an honest conversation and get them to the help they may need.
What should you do if a person says 'yes' to having thoughts of suicide?
The first thing to do is never show shock. I would say always be prepared that their answer to that might be yes. And then you just help them along the way. You need to get them to the resources and staff that can help them. The first I would mention is 988. It’s a National Suicide Hotline across the country, any state you’re in in the United States, that will ring to a suicide hotline in your local area and they can talk you through those situations. The second is if you’re in the Sioux Falls area, a lot of times what they are going to recommend is you come to the Avera Behavioral Health Urgent Care. 24 hours a day, seven days a week we are here waiting to serve you.
