Suicide Awareness
Seminar
A Recovery Workshop
Presented by the
APSU Counseling & Testing Center
Myths about Suicide




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.)




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.)




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.)




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.
Depressive Emotional Factors
Contributing to Suicide
 Despair
 Helplessness
 Hopelessness
 Worthlessness
Personal Protective Factors
•
•
•
•
•
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)
•
•
•
•
•
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
•
•
•
•
Strong family relationships.
Models of healthy coping.
Encouragement of participation.
Opportunities to make significant
contributions.
Environmental Protective Factors
(cont’d)
•
•
•
•
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?
STAGES OF A CRISIS
PRE-CRISIS
CRISIS
POST-CRISIS
Greater strength
than Pre-Crisis
level
Normal level
of coping
SHOCK
RECOVERY
Adjustments
Days
Weeks
Months
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

Numbness is relatively transient. It is
initiated by an emotional shock.

Denial of the full realities of loss, on the
other hand, tend to persist into other phases
of grieving.
Yearning
Intense preoccupation with thoughts of the
lost one.
 Variety of physiological disturbances may
appear (difficulty sleeping, eating, etc.).
 Psychological defenses become apparent
(difficulty maintaining relationships, over
commitment to friends, etc.).

Disorganization and Despair
Apathy and aimlessness.
 No interest in future or future seems
unpleasant.

Reorganization
Diminished symptomatology.
 Opening up toward future.
 Spontaneity and creativity return.
 Happiness returns to former level or better.

Tasks of Mourning
Accept the reality of the loss
 Experience the pain of the loss
 Adjust to the environment in which the
deceased is missing
 Withdraw emotional energy from the
deceased and reinvest that energy into other
relationships and activities

Questions?