Video Transcription

Suicide Prevention

At any one time, one in 20 people are thinking about suicide. Death is a taboo, and suicide is a taboo, so it’s really, really hard to bring it out in the open. People with thoughts of suicide often feel ashamed; they feel worthless, and it’s part of the human condition. We need to address it in a really proactive way, and it’s not just my business as a professional, but it’s everybody’s business to be alert and to reach out in a caring way and connect with people who might be struggling.

Lots of stuff happens in life that hurts. A relationship breakup for me might not be the same as it is to somebody else. It might be the final thing in a whole lot of things that are going wrong, and they start thinking about suicide. So it’s really not what happens to people that pushes them that way; it’s how they feel about it, the supports around them, their coping skills. It might be that there are issues with alcohol or substance abuse, or mental health issues.

It’s really, really hard to pick out the one thing that makes people die by suicide. The issues that stand out, especially for young people, are about being connected. It’s about not feeling alone. It’s not just about having support to get through life’s really difficult struggles. We need to notice what people are saying and doing—are they changing? Are they different? What’s happening for them?

Almost everybody who has suicidal thoughts is telling us in one way or another. There is help; it can be prevented, and there are ways of helping people work through those feelings and thoughts. Say the word “suicide.” Say the word “killing yourself.” It’s really direct. Don’t mistake what that means. “Hey, you’re acting really weird. Are you thinking of hurting yourself?” I’m saying all these things, and often, most often, the person who’s having suicidal thoughts is so ambivalent about living and dying that they’re just waiting for someone to notice. They’re waiting for somebody to ask them.

Another thing is, particularly with young people, confidentiality, privacy, friendship, and loyalty are really, really important. But when it comes to life and death and suicide, no secrets. You can’t promise to keep it a secret. In the case of a young person, get somebody else involved—a grown-up, an adult, or someone who can help that you trust. Kids Helpline and other 24-hour services are available for people to reach out and at least express their feelings, maybe get some help to get them on a safe path. But it really starts with that young person being able to trust somebody enough to either show the invitations if they can’t say it directly, or to tell somebody that they’re really suffering and thinking about suicide.