One of the scariest things for a parent to cope with (apart from critical illness) is a child who is threatening or has attempted to commit suicide.  Continuing our daily lives  with the knowledge that our loved ones feel this way is very challenging.

Educate yourself, reduce stress, reach out for help, beware of your loved ones danger signs and get support.

S.O.S  A support group for parents of children at risk.   Sunday evenings  7:00 pm to 9:00 pm  You are not alone.

for information contact Catherine at 613-875-9273  or catherine@spiritwalk.ca



Crisis and Risk of Suicide

People who talk about suicide usually do not really want to die, but are desperate for support.

It is extremely important to take any mention of suicide seriously, particularly if they have

been showing signs of other behaviours you are concerned about. Sometimes when there is a

mental illness present, the person will hear voices telling them they should die.

If you think the person is in danger of attempting suicide, ask them directly. Don’t be afraid

to discuss it openly—it will not increase the chances of the person dying by suicide.

Try to make a verbal contract or agreement with the person to not carry out their plan at least

until a specified time (maybe 2 hours from that point). Assure them that you will not judge

them, that you are there to support and get them through this rough time. Talk about the things

they feel overwhelmed about—listen, don’t try to give too much advice or minimize their concerns.

Once the person is calm, talk about calling the Distress Line and/or the family doctor to explore

what options could be made available. This could make the process of hospital admission or

further involvement with the mental health system feel more within the person’s control.

Thoughts of suicide can stem partly from feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. As much

as is possible and safe, it is best not to take away the options and potential for decision-making

in a person’s life.

IF THE PERSON WON’T ACCEPT HELP 

AND SAYS THEY WILL COMMIT SUICIDE,

Call 911

 

STEPS FOR PREVENTING CRISIS:

Educate Yourself. For instance, attend a family education group or program related to

mental health and the mental health system. Research has shown that family education is one

of the most important variables in reducing the frequency of hospitalization.

Reduce Stress at home. Try to lower the emotional voltage in your interactions with the

individual. Learn to recognize patterns that cause stress and conflict for you and your family

member. Re-evaluate your expectations of them and stop doing what is not working. This is a

good opportunity to choose your battles.

Reach out for Help both for you, the individual who is struggling with mental illness and

for the rest of the family who will be affected. Don’t try to manage things all on your own.

There is no shame in admitting someone has a mental illness in the family, or in admitting that

you might need some help to manage.

Be Aware of Relapse Symptoms and patterns that you have observed in the individual.

Get help sooner rather than later. If possible, you want to avoid the stress and trauma that can

be involved in hospitalization, which can sometimes seem like the only option in the midst of a

full-blown crisis. It is very unusual for someone to become suddenly and severely ill—the

process of relapse usually takes about a week. Keep your eyes open.