 Hey, Psych2Goers, welcome back to our channel. Your love and support helps us continue on our goal to spread awareness about mental health and psychology. We can all strive to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. So thank you so much for your support. Now, to the video. If you or someone you care about is in immediate danger of committing suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number and reach out to a mental health professional immediately. Do you have a friend or a loved one you're worried about? Do you have a gut feeling someone you know is thinking about suicide? Maybe you don't know how to approach them. What would you say? Should you even mention suicide or could that make it worse? Suicidal thoughts are something many individuals go through, yet many feel sure of whether or not they should bring it up. According to research, it's better to talk with someone contemplating suicide on the topic. It's better to do something than simply ignore it or change the subject. One US study randomly assigned a large group of high school students to either fill out a questionnaire about suicidal thoughts or not. Researchers found that there was no increase in suicidal thoughts or depressive feelings in the following days after answering the questions. Students who are at high risk of suicide experienced a small decrease in depression and suicidal thoughts. Many experts say that simply talking about suicide can relieve some of the worries the victim is experiencing. It gives the individual a chance to be heard and see that someone cares about them. In fact, a study of Singaporean adults found those who are asked about suicide had no ill effects. Several subjects commented that participation in the study gave them a chance to share their suicidal feelings for the first time. The main takeaway here, reach out and talk to someone who you think may be considering suicide. Deep down, they may be looking for help, but may be too afraid to ask for it. You can offer that help just by supporting them. So what exactly do you say to someone who might be considering suicide? Well, here are 13 tips on how to negotiate with someone who may be in that position. Number one, recognize the signs. It's important to recognize the warning signs of someone who may commit suicide. These signs could be threats or comments about killing themselves, social withdrawal and sudden isolation, dramatic mood swings, talking or writing about death, increased alcohol or drug use, aggressive behavior and impulsive or reckless behavior. They might express how they feel that they have no reason to go on living. They could be giving away items or suddenly making a will or maybe they've discussed suicide in the past as a way out. If you can recognize the many signs, you'll have a sure feeling of whether or not to bring up the topic, speaking of which, if you have a gut feeling, regardless of symptoms, you should just simply ask. They may be desperate for someone to turn to and there's definitely a difference it could make. Number two, ask them how they are. If you want to start to approach someone you're worried about, simply ask how they are. A simple hello or how are you feeling can mean the world of a difference to someone who wants help but is too afraid to ask. If they start to open up, you'll be there to listen. Number three, ask specifically about suicide. If you have a strong feeling someone may be dealing with suicidal thoughts or is contemplating suicide, just ask them. Once again, asking if they're considering suicide isn't more likely to make them go through with it. Research backs this up and finding suggest acknowledging suicide and discussing it may reduce suicidal ideation. Ask them, are you thinking about suicide? It may show them that you're open to talk about it and aren't judgmental about the topic. The next step is to stay with them and listen to their feelings. Four, stay with them. Beyond staying with them, it's important to be proactive in gaining skills to support those struggling with their mental health. Learning psychological first aid using the rapid model, reflective listening, assessment of needs, prioritization, intervention and disposition can go a long way to providing support. Don't number five, keep them safe and remove harmful items. After asking if suicide's been on their mind, ask them if they've already done something to try to kill themselves. Do they know how they would do it? Do they have a plan? Find these answers out and then determine whether this is an emergency that needs additional help. If they appear to be in immediate danger, remove any harmful items out of the room and as far away as possible. These can include drug objects such as knives, drugs, cleaning products, any wires, cords, belts or rope. Number six, acknowledge their feelings are legitimate. It's important to acknowledge that their feelings are real and shouldn't be brushed aside. You should never say things like just be happy or snap out of it. It may also be a bad idea to immediately suggest an easy solution as the individual may get defensive or feel rejected, unheard or guilty. Number seven, repeat their words back to them in your own way. It's important to actively listen to what they have to say. After they're done speaking, repeat their words back to them in your own words to show that you have listened. It shows them you care and you are there for them. This method can also help make sure that you understood them. Number eight, empathize with them. Empathy, it's best to show we empathize with someone when we feel it. It may help them know someone genuinely cares about what they're feeling. You could try expressing this by saying, I may not know exactly what you're going through or the pain that you're experiencing, but I want to try to understand. Number nine, encourage them to focus on getting through today. It can seem difficult to imagine continuing to live when you feel hopeless or suffer from suicidal thoughts, but it can seem a lot easier to get through one day at a time. Encourage them to get through the day instead of focusing on the complicated mess that can be our future. Nobody knows what's in store for them. Our lives can go from unfortunate to lucky in an instant. We can help cultivate our own meaning to push on in life and our fight to live. Number 10, identify a hook. One thing that can help an individual continue to live is to identify a hook in their life that means something to them. What's important to this person? What holds meaning and value in their life? Maybe they have family they love or a pet who needs their care. What about a job they enjoy or something they're passionate about? Ask them and continue to refer back to these hooks as a way to get them to focus on what's important in their life. It may not be a good idea, however, to try and make them feel guilty due to any pain it may cause their family or loved ones. The goal is to remind them of what they value and make them feel better, not worse about themselves. Coming back to the hook may be something that helps. They may be reminded of why they don't want to leave them behind. Number 11, offer support and help. If you've stayed with them during a crisis, you're already providing them with a form of support. Next is to provide help. Mention their strengths. Look them in the eyes and say something such as, I know we can get through this. We can, together. Maybe you've seen them fight through hard times. Tell them. Mention how strong they are, how brave. Give them the hope they need to rely on, to keep going. Just because you don't feel strong enough to move on doesn't mean you aren't strong. You are. Look how far you've made it and think about how far you can go if you continue to live. With hope, anything is possible. Number 12, don't minimize their problems or say anything judgmental. An important part of all of this is to be non-judgmental. Don't minimize their problems or compare them to others in a negative way. Just because you may find it easy to continue forward does not mean they do. Everyone is different and everyone handles their emotions and situations differently. Number 12, help them develop a safety plan. Whether someone's suffering from suicidal thoughts or in the midst of an immediate crisis, a safety plan is always a good idea once things de-escalate. If someone is being supported by a care coordinator, they may already have a crisis plan. If not, you could always develop one together. A crisis plan is used to help an individual when suicidal thoughts return or when they're in a crisis. These are the steps they should take when things begin to worsen. Things to include in a crisis plan could be to not be alone, removing certain objects in the home and talking to a helpline, loved one or professional. Another great thing to add to the list is distraction techniques, such as getting lost in a good book or writing in a journal. Or maybe you'd like to put on your favorite film or television show. Or when all else fails, snuggle with your beloved pet. A man's best friend is always there to listen. I'm a dog person. If you feel the need to get out or simply know what can help you, go to a museum or theater or visit someone you know. A final step in their plan should be to seek professional or emergency help if they need it or are in a crisis. Find them some resources and then discuss the options with them. And 13, follow up. Lastly, it's important to follow up and see how they're doing. One of the worst things you could do is make a promise and then not keep it. So try not to make any impossible promises or skip a planned meeting. Some individuals find it hard to keep appointments with a therapist or psychiatrist. A lot of people schedule to meet with a professional, but then don't show. Many have found it helpful to have someone accompany them to therapy sessions or appointments. If you notice your loved one isn't following through with meeting a mental health professional, it may be a good idea to drive them or even go in with them. Whether that means you're reading a magazine in the waiting room, listening to some music in the car, or hiding in the corner of a session's video call, I'm sure any support would help. Have you ever had someone convince you to stay alive when you were on the brink of taking your own life? What was it that someone said to you that convinced you to change your mind about suicide and stay alive? How do you feel about the topic now? Please feel free to email us at yourstoriesatpsych2go.net and share your story anonymously. We will be selecting several stories for an upcoming video in hopes the words that changed your life will motivate others to keep going as well. If you found the tips in this video of value and want to learn more about how to be more proactive when it comes to helping others, then you should check out the Psychological First Aid. A big shout out to Coursera for sponsoring this video and offering a course from John Hopkins University to our viewers. You can earn a certificate from John Hopkins University upon completion, so make sure you check it out. If you found this video helpful, don't forget to click the like button and share this video with someone who might need it. 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