1

Air National GuardAir National Guard

Briefings on:Briefings on:

Suicide Suicide PreventionPrevention

2

SuicideSuicide PreventionPreventionOverviewOverview

Personal ExperiencePersonal ExperienceMythsMyths

Risk FactorsRisk FactorsBalancing Life’s StressBalancing Life’s StressSymptoms of RiskSymptoms of Risk

What To Do If You Suspect TroubleWhat To Do If You Suspect TroubleWhat To Avoid Doing If You Suspect TroubleWhat To Avoid Doing If You Suspect Trouble

Key IdeasKey Ideas

3

Personal Personal ExperienceExperienceHow many of you have had How many of you have had personal experience with personal experience with someone who has attempted someone who has attempted suicide?suicide?How many of you have had How many of you have had personal experience with someone personal experience with someone who has been successful in suicide?who has been successful in suicide?

You are welcome to share your story if you likeYou are welcome to share your story if you likeIf, at the end of our time together, If, at the end of our time together, you have painful memories that have you have painful memories that have been stirred, please stay after class. been stirred, please stay after class. Do not carry them out with you.Do not carry them out with you.

4

MythsMythsPeople who People who commit suicide are commit suicide are mentally illmentally ill

Talking about Talking about suicide will put suicide will put the idea into the idea into another another person’s headperson’s head

Good circumstances Good circumstances prevent suicideprevent suicidePeople who talk People who talk about suicide won’t about suicide won’t commit suicidecommit suicidePeople who People who threaten suicide, threaten suicide, cut their wrists, or cut their wrists, or don’t succeed with don’t succeed with other attempts are other attempts are not a risk for not a risk for suicidesuicide

People who are People who are deeply depressed deeply depressed don’t have the don’t have the energy to commit energy to commit suicidesuicidePeople often People often commit suicide commit suicide without warningwithout warning

5

Marilyn--A Case Marilyn--A Case HistoryHistoryMarried, College student, with 2 little Married, College student, with 2 little

girls, editor of school paper, editor of school girls, editor of school paper, editor of school annual annual History of depression--but getting History of depression--but getting betterbetterWent around campus and said “Goodbye” to Went around campus and said “Goodbye” to every officeevery officeCalled husband--talked him into coming Called husband--talked him into coming home for lunch home for lunch

Husband found her before the children Husband found her before the children came home from schoolcame home from school

Shot herself in the kitchenShot herself in the kitchen

6

Marilyn--In Hindsight Marilyn--In Hindsight 20/2020/20

She appeared to be Getting Better She appeared to be Getting Better

She said “Goodbye”She said “Goodbye”

She had a planShe had a plan

She had the meansShe had the means

People didn’t ask, “Are you thinking about People didn’t ask, “Are you thinking about suicide?”suicide?”

7

Risk Risk FactorsFactors

Alcohol and Drug Alcohol and Drug AbuseAbuse

Financial Financial ProblemsProblemsLegal ProblemsLegal Problems

Family ViolenceFamily Violence

Poor Job Poor Job PerformancePerformance

Relationship Relationship DifficultiesDifficulties Inability to CopeInability to Cope

Disciplinary ActionsDisciplinary Actions

Under InvestigationUnder Investigation

8

Balancing the stress Balancing the stress of Life is a difficult of Life is a difficult

challengechallenge

ScaleScale

9

It doesn’t take a lot to It doesn’t take a lot to throw life out of throw life out of

balancebalance

ScaleScale

10

What coping What coping mechanisms do you mechanisms do you find helpful in find helpful in dealing with your dealing with your life’s stress?life’s stress?

11

Symptoms of Symptoms of RiskRisk

Suicide Gestures Suicide Gestures

Pessimistic OutlookPessimistic OutlookGiving Away ItemsGiving Away Items

Talking About SuicideTalking About Suicide

Talking About DeathTalking About Death

FarewellsFarewells

Increased Alcohol UseIncreased Alcohol Use

Weeping EasilyWeeping Easily

Change in Eating Change in Eating Habits- Weight Loss Habits- Weight Loss

12

Symptoms of Risk Symptoms of Risk ContinuedContinued

Drop in Drop in PerformancePerformance

Increased IrritabilityIncreased Irritability

Loss of Sense of HumorLoss of Sense of HumorSocial WithdrawalSocial WithdrawalContinual SadnessContinual Sadness

Feeling Hopeless/HelplessFeeling Hopeless/Helpless

Change in Sleeping Change in Sleeping HabitsHabits

Chronic Chronic Illness/PainIllness/Pain

Loss of HealthLoss of Health

13

Red Flags...Red Flags...

If someone displays a dramatic If someone displays a dramatic

behavior or personality change it is behavior or personality change it is

vital for supervisors and co-workers vital for supervisors and co-workers

to find out what is going on--to find out what is going on--

Always AskAlways Ask the individualthe individual““Are you considering Are you considering

suicide?”suicide?”

14

What To Do If You Suspect What To Do If You Suspect TroubleTrouble

When Serving on Duty When Serving on Duty Status Status

Provide ‘Provide ‘AIDAID’’AAsk “Are You Thinking About Suicide?”sk “Are You Thinking About Suicide?”

IIntervene immediately—Become Involvedntervene immediately—Become Involved

DDo Seek Help---Get Timely Advice o Seek Help---Get Timely Advice From a Helping From a Helping ProfessionalProfessional

15

If You Suspect The Person Is If You Suspect The Person Is SuicidalSuicidal Save Their ‘Save Their ‘LIFE’LIFE’

LLocate Help: Supervisor, First Shirt, Chapel ocate Help: Supervisor, First Shirt, Chapel Staff, Medical Staff, Friend Staff, Medical Staff, FriendIInform Chain of Commandnform Chain of Command

FFind Someone to Stay with the Personind Someone to Stay with the Person

EExpedite Intervention--xpedite Intervention--

Get Help ImmediatelyGet Help Immediately

16

What To Do If You Suspect What To Do If You Suspect TroubleTrouble When When NotNot Serving on Duty Serving on Duty Status Status Provide ‘ Provide ‘AIDAID’’AAsk “Are You Thinking About Suicide?”sk “Are You Thinking About Suicide?”

IIntervene immediately—Become Involvedntervene immediately—Become Involved

DDo Seek Help---Get Timely Advice o Seek Help---Get Timely Advice From a Helping From a Helping ProfessionalProfessional

17

What To Do If You Suspect What To Do If You Suspect TroubleTrouble When When NotNot Serving on Duty Serving on Duty Status Status

Save Their ‘Save Their ‘LIFE’LIFE’

LLocate Help: Crisis line, Hospital Emergency ocate Help: Crisis line, Hospital Emergency Room, Friend, Family, Police, Chaplain, ClergyRoom, Friend, Family, Police, Chaplain, Clergy

IInform Family and Individual’s Support Networknform Family and Individual’s Support Network

FFind Someone to Stay with the Personind Someone to Stay with the Person

EExpedite--Get Help Immediatelyxpedite--Get Help Immediately

18

What To Avoid Doing What To Avoid Doing If You If You Suspect Trouble: DSuspect Trouble: Don’t on’t Ignore Warning SignsIgnore Warning Signs

Warn Against Seeking HelpWarn Against Seeking Help

Assume Minor Troubles are UnimportantAssume Minor Troubles are Unimportant

Give Advice/False ReassuranceGive Advice/False Reassurance

Assume Someone is Immune from Self-harmAssume Someone is Immune from Self-harm

Advise Drug/Alcohol UseAdvise Drug/Alcohol Use

Challenge the Individual to “Just Do It”Challenge the Individual to “Just Do It”

19

Key IdeasKey Ideas

Everyone is encouraged to seek help Everyone is encouraged to seek help before letting their feelings get out of before letting their feelings get out of controlcontrol

Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weaknessSeeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness

Seeking help doesn’t necessarily end Seeking help doesn’t necessarily end one’s career—Not seeking help when one’s career—Not seeking help when needed needed willwill end a career end a career

People are the Air National Guard’s People are the Air National Guard’s greatest asset and we want to preserve greatest asset and we want to preserve their careers by helping them deal with their careers by helping them deal with life’s stresslife’s stress

20

Issues of Issues of ConfidentialityConfidentiality

The Chaplain can be a tremendous The Chaplain can be a tremendous source of help and support by source of help and support by offering confidentiality to you offering confidentiality to you when talking about personal when talking about personal issues. issues.

21

This Concludes the This Concludes the Presentation on Suicide Presentation on Suicide

PreventionPrevention

Do You Have Any Do You Have Any Questions?Questions?