| How
To Help
If you believe someone may be suicidal... ALWAYS GET HELP FOR THEM IMMEDIATELY!!!! 1. Ask. Asking someone if they feel so bad that they are thinking about suicide is the only way to know for sure. Often, they are afraid to tell other people, so if you bring it up, it lets them know you're willing to help. 2. Ask the person if they have thought about how and when to commit suicide. Someone who has done alot of planning and wants to do it soon, needs help now! 3. Let the person describe their feelings. Understanding the facts is important but don't forget they need to talk about feelings too. 4. Don't try to talk them out of suicide - help them explore what would make living a more positive experience. 5. Try to listen without judgment. Problems that appear minor to some people, may be major to others. 6. Don't keep suicide a secret. Keeping a secret of someone's suicidal feelings is dangerous and very stressful to you. Let them know you care too much to handle this alone. Talk to them about who else they trust enough to share this with and offer to be with them while they contact this person. 7. Contract with this person. make an agreement that they will promise to talk to a distress line, or a trusted person before they attempt suicide. It helps them to know that there are people still willing to be there for them if they feel this bad again. 8. Stay in touch with this person as much as you are able to. 9. REMEMBER YOU ALONE CAN NOT FIX SOMEONE'S OR TAKE THEIR PAIN AWAY - YOU CAN ONLY LISTEN AND SUPPORT. 10. Make sure you have help too!! being a helper to someone in crisis is very stressful. ** This is for information purposes only. If you suspect someone may be suicidal GET HELP immediately!!! Please feel free to print this out, but it may not be used on other sites and it is copywrited. Thanks. From: The Support
Network
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