The most effective suicide prevention strategies are geared toward decreasing risk factors and increasing protective factors. These include gatekeeper training, identifying warning signs and educating people about suicide through mental health literacy campaigns.
Other preventive measures include promoting psychological resilience programs and addressing stigma related issues. It also includes transforming crisis services to offer better care and support during people’s worst times.
Be there for your friends and loved ones
It’s important to be there for those who are going through a difficult time, and this could include encouraging them to find help with their mental health issues. It’s also important to know the warning signs that a loved one may be suicidal. These warning signs include:
These can include buying lethal means, such as a gun or stockpiling pills; withdrawing from social contact; mood swings (being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next); being preoccupied with death, dying or violence; expressing hopelessness; and a negative view of life or their futures. Research has shown that feeling connected to others is a protective factor against suicide. This can be done at the family, relationship, community and societal levels. Limiting access to lethal means can also be an effective preventative measure.
Be aware of warning signs
It’s important to know warning signs that someone may be considering suicide. “There is no foolproof way to tell if someone is at risk, but there are certain behaviors that warrant greater attention and intervention,” says Mason Assistant Professor of Nursing K. Pierre Eklou. These include interest in end-of-life plans, a sudden change in mood or behavior, a history of depression or mental illness, relationship problems or the death of a loved one, severe financial stressors, legal issues, substance abuse, and impulsivity.
People at greater risk for suicide include those who have a history of depression or a mental health condition, are isolated, veterans and members of the armed forces, or have access to lethal weapons or medications. Anyone who expresses thoughts of suicide should be taken seriously and given immediate help. View the full list of warning signs and symptoms of suicide here. You can also text 988 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to talk to a counselor.
Encourage positive lifestyle changes
The first step in helping someone who is at risk of suicide is to be there for them. This can be done in many ways – by being physically present, calling or texting, or by being a listening ear. However, it is important to only offer this type of support if you are willing and able.
Other preventive steps include lowering barriers to help-seeking (by making it easier for people to find help, by providing culturally appropriate information and by fostering peer norms that support help-seeking) and teaching coping and problem solving skills. It is also important to educate those who come into contact with at-risk individuals, such as school staff and primary care givers.
Finally, reducing access to highly lethal means of suicide and making the chosen method less effective has been shown to reduce suicide rates. This can be done through policies, education and training for gatekeepers, community outreach, and promoting hotlines and crisis resources.
Be proactive
Suicide is a public health issue that requires community involvement to address. Communities can take several preventative steps to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy, including identifying warning signs, promoting life skills and social support programs for at-risk populations and providing gatekeeper training for workers and managers.
Being proactive can also include reducing access to lethal means, such as removing guns from homes or requiring families to keep medication locked away, and educating people on how to safely store these items. These actions can help prevent suicide attempts by limiting the person’s ability to act on impulsive thoughts and feelings.
Human beings crave strong relationships and support, so it is important to foster emotional connections for people who may be at risk of suicide. Communities can promote these supportive relationships through social programs for specific population groups, such as older adults and LGBT youth, and through workplace wellness programs that promote conflict resolution and stress management.