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Counselling and Personal Development

Suicide intervention

 Getting help

Lifeline -13 11 14

Suicide helpline (Victoria only) - 1300 651 251

Your Student Counsellor

There is a common myth that talking about suicide can create or increase the chance of someone harming themselves. This is one of the biggest myths that surround this area. In other words, TALKING ABOUT SUICIDE DOES NOT CREATE OR INCREASE THE RISK OF SOMEONE HURTING THEMSELVES. So why don’t we take this opportunity to talk about what we do if we find ourselves or one of our friends in a situation where they are contemplating suicide.

   When do you need to get help?

Believe it or not, a large portion of people contemplating suicide usually communicate their intentions in some shape or form to a friend or family member before they attempt to harm themselves. This should be recognised as an invitation to assist your family member or friend to find professional help.

A large portion of people who take their own lives suffer from depression. So being aware of some of the following signs of depression may be helpful:

• emotional: feeling sad, disconnected, anxious, angry, desperate
• physical: lack of energy, weight loss or gain, sleeping too much or too little
• behavioural: withdrawal from others, loss of motivation, crying, recklessness
• thoughts: can often be self- critical, pessimistic, indecisive

Of course you may have some of these symptoms and not be depressed, as the clinical diagnosis of depression accounts for many and varied factors.

Other warning signs that have been found to be associated with increased risk of suicide include:

• alcohol or drug abuse
• the breakdown of a significant relationship
• death of loved one
• loss of one’s health
• prior suicidal behaviour
• a plan for suicide

If in doubt you could always ask the person directly.You could say something like:

• “Lately you have seemed sad and I am worried about you. Is everything ok?“
• “Are you ok, you haven’t seemed yourself lately?”
• “I am worried about you, are you ok?”

So what if I ask these questions and they say that they are in fact contemplating suicide?

Whilst it can be confronting and scary to hear someone talk about suicide, for the person considering harming themselves, it can be liberating to say the words out loud. It is often such a taboo topic that people avoid actually taking about it, so giving them the opportunity to do so can help a lot.

So if your friend or family member answers yes…what do you do?

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   Helping someone with suicidal thoughts

• Your goal is to get the person in danger to a trained professional.
• In some instances, it may be helpful, appropriate to go with the person, for example, to walk them over to the counselling service.
• It is important to remember that your attitude to their seeking professional help may also influence them in deciding whether or not to get assistance…therefore it could be helpful to reassure them that you are there to help and do not think that they are “weird”. You could say something like “ my sister has had those feelings before” or if you have not had a personal experience saying something reassuring and supportive will probably be very helpful.

The main points to remember are:

1. Listen – try to be as supportive and patient as possible. Share your concern and willingness to help your friend or family member. Try not to give advice or be critical of the person.
2. Encourage – your goal is to get your friend or family member to see a professional for assistance…be patient and persistent!
3. Discourage social isolation – help your friend or family member set up a support network so that if they don’t want to be alone they don’t have to be.
   

   Who do you get to help?

Firstly, call an ambulance (Dial 000) if your family member or friend has taken pills or harmed themselves in any way.
If the threat is not as imminent there are many different people you could call to assist you:

• Your Student Counsellor or another suitability qualified Counsellor or Psychologist will be able to help

• A doctor could provide an appropriate referral to a suitability qualified Psychiatrist

• Lifeline Telephone Service could provide you with suitable information or advice

 

 Taking it further

• Information on depression and the support available to you
  http://www.beyondblue.org.au/

• True stories told by people who have won the battle against suicide
  http://www.survivorsofsuicide.com/

 Getting help

• Lifeline -13 11 14
• Suicide helpline (Victoria only) - 1300 651 251
• Box Hill Hospital – 03 9895 3219
• Geelong Hospital – Emergency – 5226 7564
• Barwon Mental Health – 5226 7410

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