Speaking Out About Suicide Doreen S. Marshall, PhD Senior Director of Education and Prevention American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 6/24/2015 1

“All speaking is public speaking” --unknown --unknown 2

In general, what is most challenging for you when speaking out about suicide? (Not necessarily talking to someone at risk.)  I don’t know the right language to use.  I am worried about how the other person/audience will receive the information.  I don’t fully understand why people become suicidal, so it is hard to talk about it.  I have my own emotional reactions to talking about suicide Question

1.To explain safe messaging 2.To provide some guidance to help ensure that when you are speaking out about suicide, you are delivering a safe and effective message 3. To consider your own reactions when talking about suicide 4.To provide some additional resources to support us speaking out about suicide Learning Objectives

Speaking out about suicide: What is safe messaging? 5

Speaking about suicide in a way that is thoughtful, safe, positive and makes use of current research and best practices. Speaking in a way that is mindful of the impact on both the audience and the speaker. 6 What is safe messaging?

Effective sharing of stories  Sends a message that healing and recovery are possible  Lets others know they are not alone  Encourages help-seeking  Helps to reduce the stigma of speaking out about suicide 7 Safe messaging and sharing your story

Consider the impact of your story  On others  On those who do not know much about suicide  On those struggling right now  On those grieving right now  On your own healing process 8 How can I share my story safely and effectively?

Define your key messages  Telling your story should be to help others and define hope Define your narrative  Talk about your journey and your healing. Know your audience 9 What should I do to speak about suicide effectively?

Incorporate a positive narrative  There are actions that people can take to help to prevent suicide.  Prevention works.  Resilience and recovery are possible.  Effective programs and services exist.  Help is available. 10 What should I do to speak out about suicide safely?

It is important to understand some basic language when talking about suicide. Those who have experienced a suicide death  loss survivors, or bereaved by suicide Those who have made a suicide attempt  attempt survivors, or preferred, persons with lived experience of suicide. 11 Language and concepts related to talking about suicide effectively

We avoid stigmatizing language:  We say “died by suicide” instead of “committed suicide.”  We do not refer to attempts as “successful” or “failed.” We avoid detailed depictions of suicide methods when speaking publicly in order to keep our message safe. We approach the topic of suicide with the awareness that given the numbers, we are likely to have someone in our midst who is a loss survivors or a person with lived experience. 12 Language and concepts related to safe messaging about suicide

Practice what you are going to say. Speak slowly. Time your talk to fit into the overall program Notice what happens when you practice telling your story Be mindful of how you might be impacted by speaking about suicide. 13 Speaking out about suicide

Sharing our stories safely Do: Go beyond expressing pain. Emphasize the journey that spans before the loss or attempt and how you have healed since. Include the full range of experiences, positive and negative Avoid: Providing details about the method of suicide Focusing solely on the suicide attempt or death Providing a simple explanation for suicide Portraying suicide as an option to consider 14

Sharing our stories safely Avoid: Saying that suicide happens without cause or due to a single cause. Describing suicide as an epidemic, an unsolvable problem, or what most people do Providing too many personal details about person who died Do: Talk about the complexity of suicide and warning signs Go beyond saying, “Suicide is preventable.” Give examples of effective prevention. Provide resources for help 15

Suicide as a complex phenomenon  Not about an individual’s willpower Seeing resiliency in lived experience  Not “permanent fragility” Recognizing the possibility of posttraumatic growth from lived experience  Not detracting from a person’s abilities 16 Challenge our notions

Talk about suicide accurately  expressing what we know from current research  familiarize ourselves with resource information (such as TALK) to share with our audience, particularly if we have a vulnerable individual in our midst. 17 Language and concepts related to talking about suicide safely

Examining one’s own reactions to suicide 18

Consider where you are in your journey…  Is it the right time for me to be sharing my story?  Am I able to speak about suicide in a way that conveys hope and a prevention message?  Has enough time passed since the death or suicide attempt?  Do I have support for my own feelings beyond the event at which I am speaking?  Am I clear about the impact I want to have, and is it consistent with the goals of the event? 19 Before speaking out about suicide…

Are normal Can be a result of stigma, social influences, our own values and experiences Can result from misunderstanding or misinformation about what contributes to suicide Are not value-neutral Can evoke a sense of fear and helplessness Can evoke confusion about our role as helpers and advocates It is important to understand our reactions so we understand how they might get in the way of these conversations. 20 Our reactions to suicide…

Examine your own personal views about suicide and those who are impacted by suicide. Acknowledge how your viewpoint has been shaped by society as well as your own experiences. Educate yourself on a regular basis about suicide by consulting reliable resources. Take opportunities to learn about lived experience and suicide loss. Following an interaction with someone at risk or who is currently struggling, debrief your emotional reaction. 21 Managing our reactions

Additional resources 22

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Speaking Out About Suicide Welcoming Those with Lived Experience 23 Resources

Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention  Public/Private partnership with the goal of advancing the national strategy for suicide prevention by: Championing suicide prevention as a national priority Catalyzing efforts to implement high priority objectives of the NSSP Cultivating resources for sustainability Resource on Successful Messaging 24

Questions for Presenter?

Doreen S. Marshall, PhD Senior Director of Education and Prevention American Foundation for Suicide Prevention x 2014 Presenter Contact Information