A year ago last April, our community was left struggling after a teenage boy in my daughter’s school (one who she knew personally and was friends with) took his life. A dark shadow cast itself on all who knew him. I found myself thinking, “His prom was just last night. What happened? Why did he do it?” And later thinking, he will never know the feeling of graduating from high school, going on to college, getting married, having his own children, living life! Suicide is truly one of the greatest tragedies in our society.
Some suicides are due to depression, but others are related to poor choices and lives felt to be spiraling out of control through addiction to pornography, sex, violence, food, gambling, drugs, alcohol or financial worries and obligations. The list goes on and on.
To help those of you who are struggling with thoughts of suicide or know someone who is, please consider (along with a very good counselor), this plan:
To prevent suicide, I will (give 3 specific things, not including calling support):
1. —————————————————————————————-
2. —————————————————————————————-
3. —————————————————————————————-
Some good ideas might be exercising, writing in your journal, attending religious services or other supportive meetings.
To prevent suicide, I will not (give 3 specific behaviors that lave led to problems in the past):
1. —————————————————————————————-
2. —————————————————————————————-
3. —————————————————————————————-
What sets you off and makes you feel that life is not worth living? Are you overworked, overwhelmed, struggling with financial worries or a relationship with a family member? Is an addiction making you feel that life for you just needs to end?
My support system consists of (think of a group of people or family or friends who love you no matter what and would support you no matter what):
1. ———————————————————————————————-
2. ———————————————————————————————-
3. ———————————————————————————————-
I will call name of therapist at phone number as my backup.
The phone number for the suicide prevention line is ———————————
(Do NOT be ashamed, embarrassed or afraid to call!)
I deserve to live because (if you can’t think of any reasons to write down, ask someone who cares about you to fill in these lines):
1.__________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________________
I will give you a good example for one of these lines: life is sacred. It matters. And regardless of what you think, there is always hope, ALWAYS. Don’t give up. Help is there. People care. (My source for this suicide prevention plan comes from my local hospital.)