988 Suicide and Crisis Online Chat – No matter what problems you’re dealing with, whether or not you’re thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call the Lifeline.
Español: Marque 988 y presione 2 or envía la palabra AYUDA a 988
24/7 Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741-741. Connect with a live, trained Crisis Counselor
Trevor Project Lifeline – Text START to 678-678. This is a 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.
Question-Persuade-Refer Training – FREE to GVMA members: This one-hour training teaches how to recognize the signs that someone may be contemplating suicide, how to talk to them if you are concerned, and how best to get them help.
Risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs
Culturally Competent Approaches
Effective Suicide Prevention: Getting Started
Talk Away The Dark – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Conversation Starters: You can make a difference by learning the warning signs, knowing the risk factors, and bravely having a REAL open and honest conversation with someone you care about.
ENCOURAGING HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS – For us to help people get to the help they need, we need to find ways to help them recognize that they have a problem that they can’t overcome on their own, to have the ability to express what they are feeling, to know where they can get help, and to be willing to seek out that help.
We chose this career because we are compassionate, caring people. Unfortunately, that also makes us more susceptible to compassion fatigue. If we had no compassion, we would not have to worry about the fatigue. The first step is to understand and accept the emotional strain that is part of our career. We must recognize the toll it takes on us daily, yet also recognize our great potential to overcome or minimize its effects.
WORK-RELATED STRESS & TRAUMA: SUPPORTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Framework for Successful Messaging: The Framework for Successful Messaging is a research-based resource that outlines four critical issues to consider when messaging to the public about suicide.
Communication Guidance – British VMA: Media portrayals of suicide can influence suicidal behavior and can lead to imitative deaths by suicide.1 A wide body of evidence shows that certain types of coverage of suicide can lead to additional deaths that would not otherwise have occurred. This effect is known as suicide ‘contagion’, ‘suggestion’ or ‘the Werther effect’. Young people and those who are psychologically vulnerable are particularly at risk of suicide contagion. We must do what we can to prevent this.
Digital Shareables – Help raise awareness by sharing resources that help others recognize the warning signs for suicide and know how to get help.
“What we have learned through research of suicides” by The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention
Suicide awareness in veterinary medicine – VETgirl Webinar
Families, organizations, health care providers, and policymakers can take many actions to reduce access to lethal means of self-harm. Some of these are general household health and safety precautions that should be used regardless of suicide risk. Examples include limiting access to medications and storing firearms safely when not in use.
The term “postvention” is a great example of suicide prevention jargon that means little to those outside the field and may actually contribute to misunderstanding. Postvention refers to activities that reduce risk and promote healing after a suicide death. Although postvention is implemented after a suicide it is essential that we prepare for postvention before a suicide – for example, by training first responders, coroners, funeral directors, faith leaders, emergency departments, clinicians, and journalists.
Maybe you have just returned home from the hospital, or you may be trying to make sense of what led you to consider suicide. The “why” of suicide is complex and answers may not come easy.
You have experienced a significant health event, and just as you would while recovering from any other health concern, you will need time, reflection, and support from others during your recovery.
You are not alone. Suicide affects millions each year, and thanks to our donors and volunteers—many of whom are loss survivors themselves—we can provide these resources to help you heal.
Surviving a Suicide Loss – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Resource and Healing Guide provides information about coping with loss, the survivor loss community, and resources to help with your journey.
After a Suicide: A Guide for Veterinary Workplaces
A Manager’s Guide to Suicide Postvention in the Workplace
Framework for Successful Messaging is a research-based resource that outlines four critical issues to consider when messaging to the public about suicide.
Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors
After a suicide: Recommendations for religious services and other public memorial observances
Guidelines for forming a Suicide Postvention Protocol
Postvention Guide for Communities and schools (Applicable information for workplace as well).
NOTE: The information contained in these self-help documents is not to be used as a substitute for professional care. Neither the authors nor the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) assume liability for injury incurred by following the information presented in these self-help resources.
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