Stopping someone from doing something you don't want them to do is not easy. When you think about it, preventing someone from taking their own life might be close to impossible. That said, you have a much higher chance of success if you understand the causes of suicidal ideation and plan a systematic approach.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) has put together a list of topics that form a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention:

1. Identify and Assist

2. Increase Help-Seeking

3. Effective Care/Treatment

4. Care Transitions/Linkages

5. Respond to Crisis

6. Postvention

7. Reduce Access to Means

8. Life Skills and Resilience

9. Connectedness

Part 2

Will They Ask For Help?

Probably not. A typical response when we ask someone if they need help is, "No. I'm fine." But if you have already noticed several warning signs and are concerned that they are struggling, you can't walk away from the problem.

If you manage to break through and get them to talk, then just listen. You can validate their feelings by listening without judging, agreeing, or disagreeing. Never tell a person who is suffering that they will get over it, and never give them reasons why they should not end their life. It's tempting to say, "Your family would miss you so much." That is not a helpful response to someone who is in a dark tunnel and simply wants to end their pain. It is okay to ask them if they are willing to call or text the Suicide Lifeline or make an appointment to see a professional.

Reasons for refusing assistance are limitless. People don't want others to know they can't handle their problems. Or they are embarrassed that they are experiencing a mental health disorder. They might think their situation can't be resolved or will go away on its own. Cultural norms may require not disclosing a perceived weakness. They can't afford to pay the cost of mental health treatment.

Or they just don't know how to ask for and accept help.

Don't you wish you could shake some sense into them? Mental health disorders can affect anyone, just as any physical illness will. It is human to get sick and need help from others sometimes. There are lots of different options for support. Take time to talk about them together.

Maybe ask the family doctor or contact the school counselor to get started. Look for support groups for people with similar issues, find mental health care providers online, or talk to someone else who has struggled with suicidal thoughts. Look for healthcare professionals who are trained specifically to assess risk and treat suicidal ideation.

The Crisis Text Line is an option, and it's free. Text 'HOME' to 741741 to connect with a volunteer Crisis Counselor 24/7. Just remember, mental illness is not a character flaw!

There is hope. People do get better and go on to live productive, fulfilling lives.

Be an Advocate

Helping someone with severe depression or suicidal thoughts seek treatment is a difficult experience. Sometimes, it triggers a desire to teach others what you have learned, especially if you did it without any prior knowledge.

Start by putting the crisis numbers in your contacts. 988 is the suicide hotline, and 741741 is the crisis text line. That way, you'll have those numbers at your fingertips if you need to share them with anyone else.

Research and make a list of mental health professionals in your area. If you work with students, contact the school counselor or social worker to find out how they help students in crisis. If you are a school counselor or social worker, make sure your community resource contact list is current and accurate. You can imagine how frustrating it would be for someone to reach out for help and find the phone number they called is not valid.

If you work in a school or a workplace where it is appropriate, talk to the people in charge about collecting data on the school or work environment to find out if students or staff know who to go to and feel safe asking for help. A positive, supportive environment makes a big difference.

Find a way to teach family, friends, and coworkers what you have learned about warning signs. The more people know what to look for, the better their chances of helping others who may be struggling. There are many opportunities for individual or group training in most communities.

Community Resources

Many training opportunities are available in most cities and are often free. If they are not accessible locally, there are online options, too. Here are just a few:

• Mental Health First Aide: Learn how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse.
• safeTALK: Learn to recognize and engage persons who may have thoughts of suicide and connect them to community resources.
• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer): Learn warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond.

For a more extensive list of training opportunities, see Chapter Two of A Culture of Caring: A Suicide Prevention Guide for Schools (K-12).

As an advocate for suicide prevention in your family, circle of friends, or community, you can create change. Just talking about suicide and prevention is the first step in normalizing the problem. Share what you have learned with others. Encourage them to participate in the training available in your community. Learn more about encouraging help-seeking behavior so you can help someone who is struggling. You could be a lifesaver!

If you think someone is seriously contemplating suicide and has made a plan, get help right away. Don't worry about making them mad at you – you're trying to save a life!

Call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit https://988lifeline.org/

The Lifeline is a 24-hour toll-free phone line for people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress and those who are concerned about them.

An online chat option is also available.

A Culture of Caring: A Suicide Prevention Guide for Schools (K-12) was created as a resource for educators who want to know how to get started and what steps to take to create a suicide prevention plan that will work for their schools and districts. It is written from my perspective as a school principal and survivor of suicide loss, not an expert in psychology or counseling. I hope that any teacher, school counselor, psychologist, principal, or district administrator can pick up this book, flip to a chapter, and easily find helpful answers to the questions they are likely to have about what schools can do to prevent suicide.