Health Professionals
SUICIDE PREVENTION
Suicide is now understood as a multidimensional disorder, which results from a complex interaction of biological, genetic, psychological, sociological, and environmental factors. Suicide is among the top 10 causes of death in every country, and one of the three leading causes of death in the 15-35 year age group. Suicides can be prevented. Over 80% of the suicidal people give clues about their intentions and despair to people around them.
(WHO Preventing Suicide: A Resource for General Physicians)
How Can You Help:
-Recognize some of the warning signals.-Express your concern and your interest.
-Offer them your support.
-Take every suicide threat, comment, or action seriously.
-Listen. Try to understand what the person is feeling.
-You do not have solve the person's problem or offer advice.
-Encourage the expression of feelings.
-Offer acceptance.
-Be careful not to offer over-simplify or give false reassurances-Seek Support. Get Help!
Free Online Training (CEU's available)
National Center for Suicide Prevention Training
Chaplains
Working Group article that identifies the critical elements for training the clergy in suicide prevention and response to survivors of suicide. Provides information about needs, suggested training content and format, and dissemination strategies.
http://www.sprc.org/library/faithbasedconf.pdf
Resource Scan that provides information to members of the clergy regarding suicide prevention and promoting mental health. A list of printable documents and summaries are available.
http://www.sprc.org/library/faithscan.pdf
Medical
Research has shown that between 40%and 60% of people who commit suicide had seen a physician in the month prior to suicide; of these, many more had seen a general physician rather than a psychiatrist. To identify, assess and manage suicide patients is an important task of the physician, who has a crucial role in suicide prevention.
Preventing Suicide: A Resource for General Physicians
Health Promotions
As a serious public health problem suicide prevention demands our attention, but its prevention and control, unfortunately, are no easy task. State-of-the-art research indicates that the prevention of suicide, while feasible, involves a whole series of activities. Appropriate dissemination of information and awareness-raising are essential elements in the success of suicide prevention programs.
Mental Health Professionals
More people commit suicide each year than die in all the world's combined conflicts. The assistance of counseling professionals in the prevetion of suicide is critical and clearly needed. This brochure was created as an informational guide for counselor education regarding suicide risk and prevention.