Suicide

1. Suicide Mackenzie, Mary, Sharon

2. Suicide Prevention Quiz: • When someone is thinking about hurting themselves they almost always reach out to someone before they attempt to commit suicide. True False • Every two hours and 11 minutes a youth commits suicide in the United States. True False • If the victim of bullying doesn't get the help they need, they sometimes turn to suicide to escape the pain and abuse. True or False • What are the five warning signs someone will show you if they are thinking about committing suicide? • What is a definition for Bully-cide? • List five resources you could turn to get the support you need if you are suicidal or know someone that is?

3. What is suicide? Suicide-The medical dictionary defines suicide as the intentional taking of one's own life. Prior to the late nineteenth century, suicide was legally defined as a criminal act in most Western countries. In the social climate of the early 2000s, however, suicidal behavior is most commonly regarded and responded to as a psychiatric emergency. Suicide is considered a major public health problem around the world as well as a personal tragedy. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), suicide was the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2000, and the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24. Bullicide: "the act or an instance of killing oneself intentionally as a result of bullying. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bullycide

4. How pervasive is the problem of youth suicide? • National Statistics Report: • Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens. • Suicide is second leading cause of death in colleges. • For every suicide completion, there are between 50 and 200 attempts. • CDC Youth Risk Survey: 8.5% of students in grades 9-12 reported a suicide attempt in the past year. • 25% of high-school students report suicide ideation. • The suicide attempt rate is increasing for youths ages 10-14. • Suicide had the same risk and protective factors as other problem behaviors, such as drugs, violence, and risky sexual activities. • While a single suicide is a tragedy, it is estimated that for every adolescent who completes suicide, there are between 50 and 200 suicide attempts. • A recent survey of high-school students found that almost 1 in 5 had seriously considered suicide; more than 1 in 6 had made plans to attempt suicide; and more than 1 in 12 had made a suicide attempt in the past year.

5. Bullycide • Many teens who face being bullied every day at school, neighborhoods, public places or through cyberbullying are believed to turn to bullycide as a means of escape. • Children, teens and adults who are victims of bullying live in constant fear and confusion. • Many feel the only way to escape the rumors, insults, verbal abuse and terror is taking their own life. Bullycide is clearly a serious issue, and should be taken as serious as suicidal thoughts and tendencies to prevent this type of result.

6. 5 Suicide Warning Signs • Suicide Threats • Direct or indirect comments made about killing one’s self. • Previous Suicide attempts • 4 out of 5 completed suicides are NOT the first attempt. • Physical mutilation vs. Suicidal threats • Sudden Changes in Behavior • Quite person become loud, loud become quiet • Gentle person become aggressive • Outgoing become withdrawn • Changes in grades, activities, attendance • Depression • Feeling of the “blues” for long period of time • Feelings of being alone or no one caring • Sleeps too much or not at all • Eating disorders, eating too much or not enough. • Final Arrangements • Giving away prized possessions • Actually making funeral plans, sending notes to friends, saying goodbye

7. Suicide Prevention • Educate Teens- Be open and talk about teen suicide. Discuss the issue clearly and without judgment. • Listen empathetically when a teen comes for guidance. • Let students know that you are there to help with problems and help find practical solutions. • Educate families and advise them to keep lethal weapons out of their homes. Many teen suicides take place in the home. This means that it is important that teens not have access to pills, knives, guns, ropes and other deadly weapons at home. You want to make it more difficult for teenagers to find the means to commit suicide. • Counsel students and help them work through their problems • One of the most effective teen suicide prevention techniques falls to the parents, friends and relatives of the teenager. If a teen feels loved and appreciated, he or she is much less likely to fall victim to teen suicide.

8. What is our role as a counselor? • It is our responsibility to report any suicidal threats to legal guardian; previous to them leaving for the day. • Making contact is key, inform guardians of details: • Does the student have a plan? • Inform parent of circumstances leading up, if possible, so they can watch out for future attempts or threats. Have parent pick them up for the day if possible? • Check in with student upon return, and check in with them there after till the threat has past.

9. Crisis Intervention • As with any death or other crisis event, the school crisis team should be activated after a suicide has occurred. 1. Accurate information is important. Verify the information (e.g., from family members and/or local authorities). 2. Find out what the family would like shared and what has already been reported by the media and/or authorities. 3. Once the death has been verified, notify school personnel, students, and parents. 4. Determine if additional supports (e.g., grief counselors, community mental health providers) may be needed. https://resources.oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/group/SU12-IN-EDUC-G562-10948/G562%20Grief%20_%20Brief%20Resrs/Suicide%20guidelines%20for%20schools.pdf

10. Post Activity • III. Directions:In schools students will inform you numerous ways that they are worried about a friend. If you received this letter, how would you respond? What would you do as this at-risk student's counselor, and as this friends counselor? • Dear Advisor, Lately my friend has been really upset, her boyfriend broke up with her. She makes comments that she doesn't want to live and I noticed that she has been hurting herself by cutting her arm. She doesn't want to hang out as much and sleeps and eats more. When I try to talk to her she just tells me to worry about my own problems. I’m worried about her, what should I do?

11. Referral • Identification of outside suicide resources. These include websites for information as well as hotline numbers. The hotlines are staffed 24/7 and are available for adults and children. • Following a suicide that impacts a school community (or ideally before a death by suicide occurs), resource information about such crisis hotlines and suicide prevention programs should be made available where students and staff gather (e.g., counselors’ office, main office, teachers’ lounge, or library); they can also be listed in school newsletters. https://resources.oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/group/SU12-IN-EDUC-G562-10948/G562%20Grief%20_%20Brief%20Resrs/Suicide%20guidelines%20for%20schools.pdf

12. Resources • Indiana Sites: • www.indianasuicidepreventioncoalition.org/ • http://www.in.gov/isdh/19542.htm • http://www.indianaequality.org/get-informed/suicide-prevention/ • www.afsp.org/indiana • http://suicidehotlines.com/indiana.html • http://www.sprc.org/states/indiana • https://resources.oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/group/SU12-IN-EDUC-G562-10948/G562%20Grief%20_%20Brief%20Resrs/Suicide%20guidelines%20for%20schools.pdf • Nationwide sites: • http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/ResourcesAndLinks.aspx • http://www.sprc.org/ • http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=742A7AD2-C8D5-C18D-0A2665B3F8977D99 • http://www.save.org/ • http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/Volume_18_Number_5/ResourcesAtAGlance.aspx • http://www.griefnet.org/resources/suicide.html • http://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ • http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/suicide • Classroom Material: • Jason Foundation: A Promise For Tomorrow • http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullycide.html

13. Local Resources •Marion County Mental Health Association Crisis and Suicide Intervention Services 2506 Willow brook Pkwy, Suite 100 Indianapolis , IN 46205 (317) 251-7575 (24-hour Crisis Line) (317) 251-0005 (317) 254-2800 (fax) A 24-hour telephone information and referral service for suicide prevention, family violence, depression, and a wide range of other issues. Services provided are confidential and free of charge •Mental Health Associationhttp://www.nmha.org/ 55 Monument Circle, Suite 455 Indianapolis , IN 46204 (317) 638-3501 (317) 638-3540 (fax) •They provide support groups for survivors of Suicide, advocate for education and prevention of suicide and help them cope with the grief and bereavement.

14. Additional Resources Active Minds American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) The American Association of Suicidology The Jed Foundation National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Mental Health America Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide (NOPCAS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center SAVE - Suicide Awareness Voices of Education Suicide Prevention Action Network USA Suicide Prevention Resource Center The Trevor Project Video Reinforcement