Signs of Suicide
Helping our students reach out for Help when vulnerable.
Why do we talk about Suicide in 7th grade?
What does ACT mean?
C- Care Let the person know you care. Listen to them, don't judge them.
T- Tell a responsible adult. Seek help from an adult.
What should you do if you are feeling depressed and need help?
• If you need help for yourself, ACT by telling an adult you trust how you feel so you can get help and feel better.
• Reach out to a trusted adult and if that adult doesn’t do anything, then keep telling an adult, until they do something about it.
Let's talk Bullying!
Whether it’s in-person or online, if you’re a witness to bullying, don’t be a bystander.
ACKNOWLEDGE, CARE AND TELL
Facts about Bullying
•Both victims of bullying and bullies are at a higher risk for suicide than their peers? That’s twice as many people you can help protect by reporting what you see and hear.
•Students who are bullied are at a higher risk of anxiety, depression, and other problems associated with suicidal behavior.
•Bullying, and especially chronic bullying, has long-term effects on suicide risk and mental health than can last into adulthood.
•It can happen due to a chemical imbalance in your brain.
•It can run in families-genetic.
•Sometimes stress can cause depression.
•Sometimes it is a combination of things.
•Depression can occur in response to a recent stress or loss, such as problems at school or with the law, the death of a loved one, or relationship troubles.
Remember this:
You don’t have to know why they are depressed, if you think that you are you or someone you know needs help, it’s time to ACT.
What's the difference between being Sad vs. Depressed?
•Depression is more than the blues or the blahs; it is more than the normal, everyday ups and downs. When that down mood, along w/other symptoms, lasts for more than a couple of weeks, the condition may be what’s referred to as depression.
•Depression is a serious health problem that affects the whole person, mind and body. It can affect: Behavior, physical health, appearance, academic performance, thinking, social activity, and the ability to handle everyday decision and pressures.
•Depression can lead someone to isolate themselves from their friends and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed doing.
•Depression can lead to thoughts of death and suicide.
Do drugs and alcohol affect someone who is depressed?
•Alcohol is a drug, and sometimes people abuse alcohol to escape their feelings.
•Depression could be caused by drugs, withdrawals from drugs, substance abuse.
•Alcohol may make people feel good, but it acts as a downer in the body and heavy drinking can make your mood unstable.
•Alcohol abuse can increase the risk of suicide. Alcohol is involved in half of all suicides, murders, and accidents.
What is Self-Injury?
•Self Injury is a mental health problem that can be treated.
•There are signs of emotional stress and risk factors that can contribute to self-injury.
•Self injury is when a person hurts their body on purpose without the intention to die.
•It is a mental health problem that needs to treated by a professional.
•If you know someone who is hurting himself on purpose, do the same thing you would do if you knew they were depressed or suicidal: ACT
ACT, ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM; LET THE PERSON KNOW YOU CARE; TELL A RESPONSIBLE ADULT
Watch out for your friends saying things like or doing the following..
•I’m no good
•I hate myself
•You’d be better off without me.
•I don’t care anymore, I wish I were dead.
•Giving away their belongings.
•Isolating themselves.
•Putting themselves in danger on purpose.
What did our RMS data show?
- We had 37 students who we followed up with after each session.
- 4 cases had a Suicide Assessment conducted.
- Topics that were discussed during the follow up varied but among them were: Peer issues, self-harming (cutters), bullying issues, family situations, class changes, divorce, being a new transfer to RMS, mental health issues.
- Other cases, students were referring other students who they felt needed to see us.