Transcript Suicide Assessment & Intervention For Educators

Suicide Assessment & Intervention
For Educators
Crisis Support Services
of Alameda County
Cristina Rita, MA
Today’s Agenda
 Agency Introduction
 Understanding Adolescents
 Youth Suicide Statistics
 Depression Warning Signs
 Suicide Warning Signs
 Contributing Factors to Adolescent Suicide
 Risk & Protective Factors for Suicide
 Assessment; & Intervention
 Community Education
 Conclusion
Crisis Support Services Programs
 24 – Hour Crisis Hotline
1-800-309-2131
 Grief Counseling Program
 Senior In-Home Counseling Program
 Support Groups
 Debriefing/Disaster Response
 Stress Counseling Program
Adolescents: A time of transition
The brain continues to develop until the middle
20’s
Development of cognitive abilities
Physical changes
Changes in social roles & family roles
Loss of innocence
Lack of life experience
Development of ego strength
A time of transitions
Youth Suicide Statistics
Between the ages of
15-24 there were
4,140 suicides in
2007
Suicide is the 3rd
leading cause of death
for adolescents &
young adults
There are an
estimated 100-200
attempts for each
completed
youth suicide
A SAMHAS study
estimates 900,000
teens make suicide
attempts each year in
the U.S.
LGBTQ
youth represent an
estimated 33% of all
teenage suicides
More teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease,
AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and
chronic lung disease
COMBINED
Common Methods
 Firearms accounted for 49% of all completed youth suicides
 Most youth suicides occur at home after school
 Typical adolescent attempter is female who ingests pills
 Typical adolescent completer is male who dies by gunshot
 Females attempt 3x as often as males
 Males complete 4x that of females
General Symptoms of Depression
Symptoms have been present during the same 2-week
period and represent a change from previous functioning
with at least one of the symptoms being depressed
mood/or loss of interest or pleasure
Lack of pleasure and/or depressed mood,
Lack of interest in usual activities
Change in appetite
Change in sleeping patterns
Persistent sadness, emptiness, boredom
Low self-esteem
Depression Symptoms in Adolescents
Increased agitation, restlessness
Aggressive behavior
Truancy
Running away from home
Incarceration
Risk-taking
Self harming behaviors
Alcohol, drug use
Energy fluctuations
Excessive fear/anxiety/worry
Changes in personality including behavior & dress
Inability to concentrate
Physical complaints
Less tolerance for frustration
Blaming oneself inappropriately, overly sensitive,
Taking criticism hard
Believing they are not good enough
Suicide Warning Signs
Feelings Associated with Suicidal Behavior
Purposelessness
Hopelessness
Worthlessness
Trapped,
Disconnected,
Alone, Isolated
Anxiety, Worry,
Guilt, Rage,
Shame
Self Hatred,
Low self-esteem
Cognitive
restrictions
Behaviors Commonly
Associated with Suicide
Talk about
death
Talk about
how they
plan to die
Say good-bye
Write about
death
Give away
prized
possessions
Increase in
drug/alcohol
use
Withdrawal
from family &
friends
Contributing Factors to Adolescent Suicide
(What teens say about why someone their age commits suicide)
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Family problems – divorce, abuse, substance abuse
Academic pressures
Relationship problems
Peer pressure
Feeling adults cannot be trusted
Feeling adults do not understand their problems
Poverty
Trauma
Loss & grief
Mental Illness
Substance abuse
Bullying
Loss of hope for a secure future
Risk & Protective Factors for Suicide
Risk Factors
 Prior suicide attempt
Protective Factors
 Access to effective
 Family history of suicide
 Substance Abuse
 Sexual abuse
 Trauma history
 Sleep deprived
 Anxiety
 Gender (male, LGBTQ)
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clinical care
Restricted access to
lethal means
Family & community
support
Problem solving skills
Cultural & religious
beliefs
Ambivalence
Check out the idea:
Ask Directly
“Do you feel so hopeless that
you think about killing
yourself?’
“You said that you feel like
there is now way out, have
you been thinking about
suicide?”
“Are you feeling suicidal?”
If the answer is yes:
“Do you have a plan?”
“Do you have means
available?”
“Have you done anything to
harm yourself before?”
“If so when, what and how
much?”
Building Rapport
What is causing you to feel suicidal?
How long have you been feeling this
way?
What are some positives in your life?
Have you had a difficult time before, how
did
You cope with it?
What has keep you going so far?
What has stopped you from completing
Your suicide plan?
Helpful Responses
Acknowledge/validate feelings
Try to understand what happened to make them question whether
life is worth living
Are there ways to deal with the pain without having to take your
life
Emphasize that most crises are temporary –death is permanent
It is common for youth to be confused about whether they want to
die or escape psychological pain
Let them know you are taking this seriously and are concerned
about them and want to help
Goals of Intervention
Foster life-affirming part of student
Indentify student support system
Lend perspective
Provide realistic hope
Provide a caring presence
Get appropriate professional/clinical
help
Follow school protocols
Community Education
 Teens for Life
 Mental Health First Aid – 12 Hour Workshop
 Grief & Loss Workshops
 Active Listening Workshops
 Responding to a Crisis in A Educational
Environment
 Suicide Assessment for Parents, Mental
Health Professionals & Educators
 Bullying, Cyber-Bullying & Our Youth
Conclusion
The most important question to a potentially suicidal person is not an
inquiry about family history or lab tests but “Where do you hurt?” and
“How can I help you?’ Edwin S. Shneidman
Resources
Websites
American Association of Suicidology – www.suicidology.org
Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide – http://sptsnj.org
Suicide Prevention Resource Center - http://www.sprc.org
Further Reading
Why People Die by Suicide – Dr. Thomas Joiner
Myths About Suicide – Dr. Thomas Joiner
The Suicidal Mind – Edwin S. Shneidman
Contact Information
Cristina Rita, MA
PO Box 3120
Oakland, CA 94609
[email protected]
510-420-3203