Suicide Awareness
Seminar
A Recovery Workshop
Presented by the
APSU Counseling & Testing Center
Myths about Suicide
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Myth: A person who talks about suicide won’t
really follow through.
FACT: Eight out of 10 people who commit
suicide have spoken about their intent before
killing themselves.
Myth: Only insane people commit suicide.
FACT:People who commit suicide may feel
hopeless and depressed, but have not necessarily
lost touch with reality. Suicide is 4 times more
likely for depressed people.
Myths about Suicide (cont.)
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Myth: Talking about suicide might prompt the
person to act.
FACT: Discussing the subject openly shows that
you take the person seriously and that you care.
It’s helpful, not harmful.
Myth: Suicide is a problem among old people –
not young people.
FACT: Suicide is a problem among the elderly.
But the suicide rate among 15-24-year-olds has
tripled in the past 30 years.
Myths about Suicide (cont.)
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Myth: No one I know is the type to commit
suicide.
FACT: Suicide occurs among young people of
ALL types – rich and poor, athletic and nonathletic, popular and unpopular, etc..
Myth: People who attempt suicide are just trying
to get attention.
FACT: Possibly, but unless someone gives them
some appropriate attention, the results could be
fatal.
Myths about Suicide (cont.)
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Myth: Once a person decides to commit suicide,
nothing can stop that person.
FACT: On the contrary, most people want to be
stopped from taking their lives. (But remember – not
everyone can be stopped, though the effort of trying
may save a life.)
Myth: People who attempt suicide really want to die.
FACT: Most people want to end their pain, not their
lives. But they have given up hope that they or
anyone else can help them.
A Serious Issue
Every year, an estimated 700 men,
women and children die by suicide
in Tennessee.
Nationally, one suicide occurs every
18 minutes, leading to 30,000 deaths
per year.
Tennessee ranks 20th nationally for
annual deaths by suicide.
For every two victims of homicide in
the U.S., there are three suicides.
Over half of all suicides are adult
men ages 25-65.
Depressive Emotional Factors
Contributing to Suicide
 Despair
 Helplessness
 Hopelessness
 Worthlessness
Personal Protective Factors
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Easy temperament.
Previous experience with self-mastery,
problem solving, crisis resolution.
Optimistic outlook.
Social/emotional competence.
High self esteem, self worth.
Personal Protective Factors (cont’d)
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Decision making, problem solving skills.
Sense of personal control, self efficacy.
Sense of belonging to a group and/or
organization.
High and realistic expectations.
High spiritual resiliency.
Environmental Protective Factors
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Strong family relationships.
Models of healthy coping.
Encouragement of participation.
Opportunities to make significant
contributions.
Environmental Protective Factors
(cont’d)
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Available social supports.
Available helping resources.
Healthy spiritual/religious affiliation.
Cultural and religious beliefs against
suicide and in support of selfpreservation.
What can we do?
Grief
Grief is a process involving
a complex set of emotions
associated with a
significant loss or the threat
of such a loss.
Stages of Grief Process
 Numbness
and Denial
 Yearning
 Disorganization
 Reorganization
and Despair
Numbness and Denial
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Numbness is relatively transient. It is
initiated by an emotional shock.
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Denial of the full realities of loss, on the
other hand, tend to persist into other phases
of grieving.
Questions?