SUICIDE Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.

Make Me Feel Better…

Prevention Strategies Share honestly how you are feeling Positive Self Thought Stress Management Skills Conflict Resolution Skills Healthy Decision Making Skills Use Effective Communications Skills Know the signs of depression & suicide and get professional help!!!!

Suicide Myth vs. Fact –M–Many people who have considered suicide considered it for a brief period of time. –M–Most people who have attempted suicide and failed are usually grateful to be alive –S–Suicide does not happen without warning –T–The use of drugs or alcohol doesn’t put people at risk for suicide because their judgment is clear

Youth Risk Behaviors Survey Results from 2011 high school students at East: About 18.7% of students have felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for 2 or more weeks in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities. Female students (34.5%) were significantly more likely than males (21.6%) to have felt sad or hopeless almost every day for 2 or more weeks.

About 12.6% of students had seriously considered attempting suicide About 7.4% of students had attempted suicide one or more times

10.4% made a plan about HOW they would attempt suicide during the last 12 months. 1.3 % of students made a suicide attempt that resulted in injury, poisoning, or an overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse

Bullying in America Bullied to Death in America’s Schools

Startling Statistics Each day more than 1,000 American teenagers attempt suicide, and 18 of them die.

Teens and Suicide MOST COMMON PLACE In their own home MOST COMMON TIME 3pm to midnight

Suicide FACTS Suicide is preventable Third leading cause of death of teens (15- 24) in US SECOND leading cause of teen deaths in Wisconsin 8 th leading cause of death overall Alcoholism is a factor in 30% of all completed suicides

Warning Signs of Suicide Feeling hopeless Preoccupied with death Withdrawing from family and friends Recent severe loss Neglecting basic needs too much or too little sleep gaining weight or losing weight rapidly lack of care about appearance (don’t brush hair, not showering, wearing same clothes) Previous attempts Experiencing loss of energy No motivation and unusually fatigued

Words that Warn I wish I were dead I just want to go to sleep and never wake up I won’t be a problem for you much longer I can’t take it anymore This pain will be over soon Nothing matters

Feeling bad is painful, BUT feeling bad is not forever… Suicide is!

What is a suicidal person feeling? Unheard Confused Depressed Frightened Alone Stuck Lost Hopeless

Stages of Suicide Ideation Threatening Attempting

How to Help a Friend 1. Share your concern: I care/love… I see… I feel… LISTEN I want… I will…

How to Help a Friend 2. ASK the question… Are you considering suicide (killing yourself)?

How to Help a Friend 3. SAFETY Ask for the modality, as long as you maintain your safety Do they have a plan? Lethal, Specific, Available

How to Help a Friend 4. Stay with them!! Peak of impulsivity or crisis usually lasts a few minutes to a few hours

How to Help a Friend 5. TELL Tell someone!! As much as we would like to we do NOT have the medical skills needed to help our friend! Counselor, Teacher, Parent, Pastor, Physician, SUICIDE

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Never tell them to snap out of it! Telling someone who is suicidal to “snap out of it” is like telling someone with 2 broken legs to get up and walk. Never act surprised or shocked Never promise to keep their suicide talk a secret Never ask WHY? Never tell them they have everything to live for

Optical Illusions What are you seeing??

Please Listen to What I Am NOT Saying. Read the story How are optical illusions like the article you just read? With your partner, come up with 2 examples of how this is true.

How are they similar? What you see is not necessarily what is really inside a person and a skilled person looks for the not so obvious related to signs and symptoms of depression and suicide.

WHY ARE TEENS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE? Teens tend to be more… Impulsive Highly Emotional Focused on TODAY and not on always on the FUTURE

Letter to Paula Draw a circle with legs… Identify Steps to help Paula

HOLD ON… Good Charlotte hold-on/ http://video.aol.com/video/good-charlotte- hold-on/

You’re life can be What you want it to be… You’ll make it through Whatever comes along. Within you are so many Answers, Understand, Have courage, Be Strong. --Douglas Pagels

Wisdom from past students Suicide is the ultimate act of control for people who feel that they do not have enough power to direct their own lives to happiness People who say they want to kill themselves are really saying that they wish they could find enough internal power to make their lives better