Describe a few of the warning signs that indicate a heightened suicide risk. What will you do when faced with a suicidal client?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A history of previous suicide attempts
Presence of a plan and active discussion of suicide
Extreme hopelessness or major changes in emotion
Serious interpersonal problems with peers and the lack of a close friend
Significant early losses, including parent death or divorce of parents
Themes of death or depression evident in conversation, written expressions, reading selections, or artwork
Statements or suggestions that the speaker would not be missed if he were gone
Presence of other self-destructive acts, such as reckless driving or self-mutilation
Sudden changes in academic performance, chronic truancy or tardiness, or running away
Physical symptoms, such as eating disturbances, sleeplessness or excessive sleeping, or apathetic appearance
Use or increased use of substances

?Don’t panic. Provide emotional support. Get the facts. Put together a plan. “Putting together a plan” is the capstone of the counselor’s response to the threat of suicide. A foundation of physical safety is at the core of the plan. This plan and the accompanying contract activate the client’s internal resources and call upon external supports as necessary.

?The counselor’s role in any crisis intervention, particularly one involving the potential risk of suicide or serious self-harm, is to provide the support and active intervention necessary until more help and other resources can be mobilized. This is truly an “emotional first aid” kind of intervention. The specifics of the risk are identified as quickly and in as supportive a context as possible, and the groundwork is laid for future work on the surrounding context in which this risk has emerged.