Mental health expert Noel McDermott looks at how suicide prevention is more than possible and how it can be prevented with open conversations and improved psychological well-being. Evidence shows that we have seen the suicide rate in women almost halve since 1981 and in men by almost 10%. Largely that has been by removing the stigma on talking about mental health issues and encouraging people to seek help. Help seeking behaviour is the secret super weapon in reduction in mental health problems, health problems in general, issues around abuse and just about everything to do with well-being. Ask for help and don’t stop asking till you get it.
Reporting positively on success around suicide prevention in this way and in more general terms on well-being issues produces the Papageno effect which encourages imitative behaviour around seeking help and choosing life and well-being.
Suicide gender differences
The gender differences in the figures can be understood in this light also as it has been harder to shift attitudes in male culture in regard to help seeking. Middle aged men remain at highest risk as are men overall. Being able to spot problems in this way through good risk assessment does mean it is easier to take proactive steps to reduce it happening. Think of your driving tests and lessons, hazard awareness. Being aware of where the likely hazards are means you are able to reduce the risk of a catastrophic outcome if an accident did occur. A simple example is approaching a zebra crossing in a busy pedestrian area. Let’s add another hazard awareness, it’s school drop off time. You learned in your lessons to see these signals and signs of potential hazard and you slow down and drive appropriately. So, if a child does what a child does and gets overexcited at seeing a pal and rushes across the stropped white and black lines without thinking you will be able to stop. What are the hazard signs to get you to drive slower and be prepared to stop?
Evidence tells us the risk factors to be aware of in general are:
- Having a diagnosed mental health condition
- Being male, in particular middle aged and in low skilled work especially construction
- Deprivation
- Unemployment
- Being trans
- Being in the LGBTQ communities
Let’s take men in construction and other manual labour jobs. How do we give them the equivalent of a zebra crossing to get across the road safely? Key factors are representation, positive stories and help seeking. In other words, if we can give out target group men in construction work examples of men like them admitting their struggles and sharing what helped to get them through, they are more likely to mimic that (Papageno effect). So, if your husband, dad, brother or you fit into this category, check out Get Construction Talking, or have a look at Construction Suicide Prevention Week. Be proactive about this. Don’t paint the zebra lines after someone has been run over. Do it now. Get the articles. Have the conversations.
Enhance health and well-being
Additionally remember that suicide prevention fits inside of good health and well-being practice. If you are doing things that enhance health and well-being, especially psychological well-being, you are reducing the risk of suicide. So plenty of talk about feelings, even if your ’target’ person doesn’t join in you can role model that. You can add stories from the cohort your target belongs to that enhances the Papageno effect. Creating an emotional atmosphere of openness, tolerance, insight and vulnerability is protective. Also stress management, rest, sleep, good food, exercise all the evidence-based approaches to health.
How to seek help
When do you get professional help? Helpfully this has been researched specifically with suicidal ideation death reduction and one of the most helpful tools is a checklist approach taken from forms such as the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale which gives you a score of how serious a risk is. It shouldn’t be used without support but speaking to your health services if your loved one is in a high-risk group and maybe has been open about using it or something similar will be helpful. Essentially risk is broken down into several levels generalised suicidal thoughts to specific one and cross references with intention. The more specific the thoughts and the higher the intention to take action on them the higher the risk.
The Samaritans have a wealth of knowledge and experience in this field and have a super helpful info on spotting suicidal behaviours and helping. The NHS also offers advice on symptoms and behaviours to look out for and how to get help.
Noel says: “Being open about someone’s suicidal thoughts is immensely helpful and evidence is clear that people will talk about these thoughts and feelings and that it helps them to do so. Shying away from the subject because you are afraid won’t help”.
