Stay with the person—you are their lifeline!
Listen, really listen. Take them seriously!
Get, or call, help immediately!
| Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® is a community-based program primarily developed to address youth/teen/young adult suicide (ages 10-25) through public awareness campaigns, education and training and by helping communities build capacity. The program assists and empowers communities in identifying resources, building their infrastructure, and educating adults and youth alike through safe and effective suicide prevention messaging to ask for help for themselves and how to respond to others asking for help. The program helps reduce stigma associated with asking for help and strengthens the link between young consumers and professional help. |
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The Shocking Statistics :
Common Sense About Kids and Guns: California Information County of San Diego Statistics¹ Centers for Disease Control² Washington State Department of Health Suicide Myths and Facts:Myth: Suicidal people are full intent on dying. Nothing others do or say can help.Fact: Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal people desperately want to live; they are just unable to see alternatives to their problems. Myth: Suicide happens without warning. Fact: There are almost always warning signs, but others are often unaware of the significance of the warning signs or unsure what to do. Myth: People who talk about suicide do not commit suicide. Fact: Most people who commit suicide have talked about or given definite warning signs of their suicidal intentions. Myth: Improvement in a suicidal person means the danger is over. Fact: Many suicides occur several months after the beginning of improvement, when a person has enough energy to act on suicidal thoughts. Myth: Suicide is more common in lower socioeconomic groups. Fact: Suicide cuts across social and economic boundaries. Myth: All suicidal individuals are depressed. Fact: Depression is often associated with suicidal feelings, but not all people who attempt or commit suicide are depressed. A number of other emotional factors may be involved. Myth: Asking, "Are you thinking about committing suicide?" may trigger a person to make a suicide attempt. Fact: Asking direct, caring questions about suicide will often minimize a person's anxiety and act as a deterrent to suicidal behavior. Recognizing Warning Signs of Suicidal Ideation:Sometimes teens feels so depressed or overwhelmed that they consider ending their own lives. Remember, however, that all teens are at risk! One in five has suicidal thoughts. One in ten will make a suicide attempt.
Do not take it all on yourself. Do not take responsibility for making your loved one well. You are not a therapist. Do not agree to keep your loved one's confidence - it's not betrayal, it's help. Think of how you would feel if you kept this secret and lost this friend or family member. Be supportive. Let him/her know that you care and they should not feel ashamed of their condition; it is not their fault. Stand by this person through the recovery period - treatment will be successful in time. Youth at Increased Risk:Depressed Youth: Depression can cloud an individual's thinking, making it more difficult to evaluate life stressors and to think of alternative solutions to problems.Angry, Acting-Out Youth: Typically, these youth tend to have fewer successes in life, and have ineffective coping skills. Anger management problems and qualities such as impulsive behavior, and acting before considering possible consequences are common. Ethnic Minorities: Some Native American tribes have youth suicide rates higher than the national average. Asian and Pacific Islander females also have higher suicide rates. Youth Alcohol/Drug Use: At least one-third of youth who complete suicide are under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs. Alcohol and other drug use can impair a youth's ability to think clearly and reduces inhibitions that might otherwise keep a youth from committing suicide. Depressed or impulsive youth who are also involved with alcohol and/or other drugs are at very high risk. Gay and Lesbian Youth: Adolescents struggling with sexual orientation issues often find themselves rejected by family and peers. Compared to other youth, the incidence of suicide attempts amoung gay and lesbian youth is higher. Gifted Youth: These youth often feel enormous pressure to be perfect at all times and believe they are loved and admired not for themselves, but for the accolades they receive and special abilities they have. Learning-Disabled Youth: Difficulty learning can lead to low self-esteem and depression. These youth face special and often difficult challenges in the classroom and the extra stress to complete their work could cause feelings of sadness strong enough to cause suicidal thoughts. Unexpected Pregnancy: Girls may feel their lives are out of control and that choosing to die is the only real choice they have. |
