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Preventing Suicide at the AFSP with Tara Greeley
Tara Greeley, Area Director for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Massachusetts, joins host Mike Wood this week for a special edition of WorkHuman Radio. They talk about the AFSP’s advocacy work and how to help someone who may be contemplating suicide.
How Can I Help?In her presentation to Work Human, Tara mentioned that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and the rate is increasing year after year. Mike asks her what we can do to help. She responds that on an interpersonal basis, we can let someone who may be struggling or contemplating suicide know that they're important and that we value them being here. She emphasizes that you never know when just checking in with someone could make their day or potentially save their life.
Warning Signs of SuicideMike notes that after someone has died by suicide, it’s common for family and friends to say that the person seemed happy and fine. He asks Tara to describe some warning signs we can look out for that might tell us if a loved one is contemplating suicide. She says to look out for the following:They talk about suicide. They may say things like, “I just don’t want to be here anymore,” or “I feel alone,” or “I feel like I'm a burden to others.''They isolate themselves from family and friends or withdraw from their favorite activities.They might experience depression or apathy or completely change their regular behavior; for example, if they are usually a well-ordered person, they may suddenly become spontaneous.They may use drugs and alcohol more often.
Advocacy Work of AFSPTara describes how the AFSP has been working with organizations and persons to help prevent suicides. Some TV shows may contain triggers for persons struggling with thoughts of suicide. High-profile suicide deaths, such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, can also impact persons who feel connected to them. She mentions the work her organization did with Netflix to remove triggering scenes and language. They have also worked to ensure that the reporting of suicide deaths has increased. She emphasizes that with suicide, it’s never just one cause: it’s a combination of several factors coming together at one time that causes someone to take their own life.
Change the LanguageMike asks Tara about the language we should use when talking about suicide. She responds that you must use safe language in order to remove the stigma and judgment around conversations about mental health and suicide. Two main language changes are:Avoid saying “committed” suicide: use “death by suicide”, “took his or her own life” or “killed himself or herself”. Avoid saying “failed attempt” or “successful attempt”: just say “suicide attempt”.
Help is AvailableIf you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255, or you can text the Crisis Line at 741741. Both of these platforms are available 24/7.
ResourcesAFSP.orgAFSP.org/Massachusetts
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By Workhuman
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Tara Greeley, Area Director for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Massachusetts, joins host Mike Wood this week for a special edition of WorkHuman Radio. They talk about the AFSP’s advocacy work and how to help someone who may be contemplating suicide.
How Can I Help?In her presentation to Work Human, Tara mentioned that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and the rate is increasing year after year. Mike asks her what we can do to help. She responds that on an interpersonal basis, we can let someone who may be struggling or contemplating suicide know that they're important and that we value them being here. She emphasizes that you never know when just checking in with someone could make their day or potentially save their life.
Warning Signs of SuicideMike notes that after someone has died by suicide, it’s common for family and friends to say that the person seemed happy and fine. He asks Tara to describe some warning signs we can look out for that might tell us if a loved one is contemplating suicide. She says to look out for the following:They talk about suicide. They may say things like, “I just don’t want to be here anymore,” or “I feel alone,” or “I feel like I'm a burden to others.''They isolate themselves from family and friends or withdraw from their favorite activities.They might experience depression or apathy or completely change their regular behavior; for example, if they are usually a well-ordered person, they may suddenly become spontaneous.They may use drugs and alcohol more often.
Advocacy Work of AFSPTara describes how the AFSP has been working with organizations and persons to help prevent suicides. Some TV shows may contain triggers for persons struggling with thoughts of suicide. High-profile suicide deaths, such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, can also impact persons who feel connected to them. She mentions the work her organization did with Netflix to remove triggering scenes and language. They have also worked to ensure that the reporting of suicide deaths has increased. She emphasizes that with suicide, it’s never just one cause: it’s a combination of several factors coming together at one time that causes someone to take their own life.
Change the LanguageMike asks Tara about the language we should use when talking about suicide. She responds that you must use safe language in order to remove the stigma and judgment around conversations about mental health and suicide. Two main language changes are:Avoid saying “committed” suicide: use “death by suicide”, “took his or her own life” or “killed himself or herself”. Avoid saying “failed attempt” or “successful attempt”: just say “suicide attempt”.
Help is AvailableIf you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255, or you can text the Crisis Line at 741741. Both of these platforms are available 24/7.
ResourcesAFSP.orgAFSP.org/Massachusetts