The Stigma Surrounding Suicide: Tough Conversations We Need to Have
The Stigma surrounding Suicide: Tough conversations we need to have.
Mental health impacts everyone’s quality of life and includes our passions, relationships, and experiences. Someone can be born with a genetic predisposition for a mental illness. Our brains can also sustain psychological traumas.
Consider the mind like a bottle of soda. Experiences from all aspects of life shake the bottle and build pressure. Healthy self-expression is relieving the pressure build-up without exploding.
We invest a great deal of time formally and informally apprising others on how to address our physical health. For example, if someone had a broken leg, just about anyone would know to contact medical services. But unlike our physical health, mental health isn’t commonly talked about in our communities because of stigma.
We need to embrace open communication of mental health challenges and be able to provide direction to help others before a crisis arises.
There is no shame in asking for help. There are tools and treatments to respond, treat, and manage mental health issues.
Signs Someone May Need Support
Suicide and self-harm are preventable mental health crises. We can be proactive by recognizing the expressions of someone in distress.
A few types of warning signs are:
• Someone expressing feelings of being trapped, like there is no way out.
• Someone expressing hopelessness or stating no reason for living.
• Someone withdrawing from family, their friends, or usual activities they like.
• Someone talking or threatening to hurt or kill themselves.
These are only a couple of signatures, and there are different ways people exhibit pain.
How To Be Supportive
When someone experiences a mental health challenge, here is how you can be supportive:
LISTEN:
Let someone really express their experiences. Being someone they can talk to is essential when giving support.
BE NON-JUDGMENTAL:
Don’t criticize or minimize the way they feel. You may not be able to understand exactly what they’re going through, and that’s ok.
ASK WHAT, NOT WHY:
When you ask questions, avoid asking ‘why’ questions, and instead ask ‘what’ questions. Asking why can have a judgmental tone even if you don’t mean it that way.
GIVE INFORMATION - DON’T DIAGNOSE:
Don’t assume they have an illness or condition. Provide direction to resources that can identify and treat mental health issues.
ACT AS A BRIDGE:
You can connect someone to mental health resources. Resources include family, school guidance, mental health professionals, and organizations like HFTD.
TEAMMATE IN SUPPORT:
Being supportive doesn’t mean your duty is to ‘fix’ someone. Mental health is complicated and solutions aren’t overnight. As a teammate, the best support you can give is by being a trusting ear, helping to navigate resources, and acting as a source of encouragement.
Encouragement to recognize and remember that it’s ok not to be okay. Mental Health starts with a conversation and encouraging friends and yourself to take a screening. Help is closer than you think.
Resources
Christopher LeMark
Christoper LeMark, the founder of Coffee, Hip-Hop, & Mental Health - an amazing organization that has pivoted during the time of COVID to fighting hunger on the Southside of Chicago through multiple “Poverty is Violent” food drives throughout the summer.
https://www.auxchicago.com/anthologies-of-hope/christopher-lemark
Transgenerational trauma refers to trauma that passes through generations and in this week's episode, we discuss a wide variety of experiences from a panel of guests ranging from individuals whose ancestors were slaves to experiences of indigenous people, down to the nuanced experiences of immigration.
https://www.auxchicago.com/anthologies-of-hope/conversations-cafe-transgenerational-trauma-the-burden-of-inherited-pain
This week's Conversations Cafe episode explores a myriad of treatment options, including plant medicines (cannabis, mushrooms, etc.), as well as alternatives like ketamine treatments for depression and harm-reduction for individuals living with substance-use disorders. Our panel includes community members and professionals discussing these often unknown but available options for healing and management.
https://www.auxchicago.com/anthologies-of-hope/conversations-cafe-spark-the-conversation
Websites
U.S.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
https://afsp.org/
American Psychological Association
locator.apa.org/
Counseling services locator
Crisis Text Line
crisistextline.org
Text “ITSOK” to 741741 (available 24/7)
Mental Health America
mentalhealthamerica.net
Resources promoting mental health nationwide
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
1-800-273-8255 (TALK) - Press 1 for Veterans Line
The Trevor Project LGBT Lifeline
thetrevorproject.org
866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386)
Available 24/7
Warmlines
warmline.org
Peer and Family mental health support by phone, weekdays M-F 5pm
CANADA
Crisis Services Canada
crisisservicescanada.ca
CALL: 1.833.456.4566 or TEXT: 45645
AUSTRIA
elefonseelsorge - Wien
www.telefonseelsorge.at
142
BELGIUM
Zelfmoord - Antwerp
www.zelfmoord1813.be
1813
Czech Republic
CSSP - Prague helpline
www.krizova-pomoc.cz
222 580 697
FINALAND
Helsinki Mission - Helsinki
www.helsinkimissio.fi
045-3410 583
FRANCE
SOS Amitie - Bordeaux
SOS Amitie - Lyon
SOS Amitie - Paris
www.sos-amitie.com
www.sos-amitie.com
www.sosamitieidf.asso.fr
05 56 44 22 22
04 78 29 88 88
01 42 96 26 26
