By Jessica Szabo
WINNEMUCCA - Counselors and staff from various schools throughout Humboldt County, members of the Frontier Community Coalition, employees of the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and several others spent Sept. 22 - 23 of this year undergoing Applied Suicide Intervention Skills (ASIST) training. Thirty people were trained during these two days.
"ASIST is a two-day training program designed for caregivers seeking to provide suicide first aid. The emphasis of suicide first aid is to prevent the immediate risk of suicide," explained the Frontier Community Action Agency's Humboldt County Program Coordinator, Alaine Kliewer-Nye.
"This training provided participants with the skills to handle real-life situations of suicide intervention. The workshop teaches how to recognize invitations for help, reach out and offer support, review the risk of suicide, apply a suicide intervention model and link persons at risk with community resources," she explained.
Kliewer-Nye noted that talking about suicide directly is the clearest sign someone may be planning to end their own life, but stressed that this is very rare.
"Warning signs vary from person to person and none should be ignored," Kliewer-Nye stated. "Because warning signs vary from person to person, no one warning sign is more urgent than another."
Some signs are displayed in the person's behavior. They might begin to isolate from others. Friends, co-workers and family members may notice the individual increasing their use of alcohol or other substances, eating too much or too little or sleeping much less or much more than usual. Some people who are planning to end their own lives begin to engage in reckless behavior. Difficulty concentrating and diminished performance at work, school or in sports or other hobbies are additional red flags. People who are contemplating suicide might also lose interest in their marriage, dating or crushes and neglect their appearance. Giving away necessary items without replacing them or giving away keepsakes may be a sign the person is not planning to be around to use them.
Other indicators that someone may be planning suicide may be reflected in their speech and demeanor. Some display feelings of loneliness, sadness and/or anger. They might mention feeling like a burden to other people, feeling hopeless or feeling trapped in a situation. A person who is planning their death by suicide may also develop an uncharacteristic interest in death or other dark topics, or talk about "not being around" or a time when they're "gone."
Kliewer-Nye emphasized the importance of understanding that no one list can contain every possible indicator of a potential suicide. She strongly urged anyone who is worried about someone they know to pay attention to the situation whether the reason for concern is on a list or not.
"There is no set pattern of behavior and any concerns should be addressed," she said.
It is a common myth that anyone who plans to die by suicide is mentally weak or unstable, but a person who plans to end his or her own life is not strange or inferior in any way. They are an ordinary person in a great deal of emotional pain. Another dangerous myth asserts that anyone who displays these warning signs is merely being morbid or dramatic to get attention. This misconception may lead friends and family members to ignore the red flags, thinking the person will just exaggerate the behavior or intensify the talk if they acknowledge it. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"The most important thing to remember if you suspect someone may be planning or considering suicide is to take it seriously," Kliewer-Nye advised. "Listen. Do not try to avoid the topic. Ignoring the signs will not prevent an attempt."
Some people may worry about causing embarrassment or discomfort by mentioning warning signs they've noticed to someone else, or by bringing them up with the person displaying them. Kliewer-Nye stressed the importance of speaking up and reaching out, both to the one who appears to be at risk and to others who might be able to help them.
"Do not keep it a secret. Tell someone who can intervene," she advised. "Saving a person's life is more important than any fears you might have of confronting the warning signs of suicide."
Anyone who is considering ending his or her own life is strongly urged to contact the national suicide prevention lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or the suicide prevention organization of their choice. Any situation that involves an immediate risk should be called in to 911.
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