“The idea that what you can’t name has power over you is a common theme with roots in various beliefs and folklore. The core concept is that naming something allows for understanding, control, and even ownership over it.”
- AI
Suicide has vexed society and the medical community since forever. But a 37 percent increase in suicide rates between 2000 and 2018 – raising levels to the highest in the U.S. since World War II – has generated more attention, research and discussion of the problem, leading to new prevention techniques that appear to be working.
Social workers today are finding suicide is often preventable and that prevention may be surprisingly simple.
A critical element is this: Use the word “suicide” when speaking to a person you know who is seriously depressed or suicidal.
As a society, we have swept suicide under the carpet for so long that false myths have grown up about it, including that broaching the topic – and using the word suicide – serves as a trigger or encourages a suicidal act.
Just the opposite is true, said John Lewis, a counselor for SEARHC who spoke May 14 at Haines School. Lewis gave a presentation titled “Ask A Question – Save A Life.” The prevention model he outlined – called QPR as a spin on CPR – is the one most commonly used and taught today. Its techniques are to question a suicidal person, persuade them away from taking their life, and refer them to social workers or others who can help.
QPR rests on getting past the false myths that have grown up about suicide, including that:
- Suicide is inevitable
- Discussing suicide will anger or upset a suicidal person.
- Only professionals can help a suicidal person.
- Suicidal people keep their plans to themselves.
- Once a person decides to take their life, there’s no preventing it.
- Suicide is a Native American tradition.
All of the above are false, Lewis said. Suicide, he said, is the most preventable form of death if we intervene at the right time.
Lewis contends that thoughts of suicide reside in a part of our animal brain devoid of words, logic or reason, a place of only strong emotion.
Addressing suicide – including using the actual word in a question to a suicidal person – moves suicidal thoughts into the brain’s frontal lobe, the part of our brains dominated by logic and reason, where we do our higher-level thinking.
A key here is appreciating that to the brain of a suicidal person, suicide is not a problem but a solution to a perceived insoluble problem. At this stage, the intervenor needs to start persuading, offering hope in any form, including citing love coming from others and other uplifting areas of a person’s life.
The last of the three steps, Lewis said, is referring a suicide person to a counselor, strong family member or local leader who can support them on their way to emotional recovery.
“QPR” aligns with other recent advancement in suicide prevention, including simply checking in regularly with those suffering debilitating depression or suicidal thoughts.
A November 4, 2019 Time magazine article, “Solving Suicide” cites similar methods zeroing in on “caring communications,” including writing a “safety plan” for patients who intermittently suffer suicidal thoughts.
“The new best practices emphasize putting people on the grid and not letting go,” Time reported.