Suicide Prevention 35 HOW TO SUPPORT A SUICIDE ATTEMPT SURVIVOR cont’d Be patient According to former CASP board member Yvonne Bergmans, one of the most important things to remember when supporting a suicide attempt survivor is patience. Suicide attempt survivors may need different things at different times. They might want to be surrounded by people one day, yet choose to spend the next in total isolation. Remember that they are doing the best they know how to in that very moment, and remind yourself that in the life of a suicide attempt survivor living moment to moment is a pretty big deal. Respect their decisions and check-in frequently to see if they could use a friend.Also keep an eye out for the warning signs for those at risk of suicide. Listen to what is being said Don’t feel as if you have to offer solutions or dissect the reason behind an attempt - that’s where professional help comes in. An attempt survivor shared with LiveThroughThis.org that during her most trying times, lots of people would say things like: “What do you have to be depressed about?”, to which she responded “Depression doesn’t need a reason — it just is.“ Be aware that you may not fully grasp what’s going on in the mind of a suicide attempt survivor, then accept that such awareness is okay. You don’t have to understand, you just have to be there if and when they choose to open up about their experience.At that point, be sure to listen to what they’re saying and tune in as they’re telling their story. Shut down stigma One of the biggest challenges faced by suicide attempt survivors is the stigma they have to face on their way to find help. Telling someone you attempted suicide is hard enough. Hearing that it was selfish to try in the first place certainly doesn’t make it easier to open up. Survivors of suicide attempts need compassion, not judgment. They need support as they navigate their way through the abyss of stigma, shame, guilt and stereotypes that surrounds suicide. So, what is the message that suicide attempt survivors need to hear? “You are worth life.You are worth living.You are worth breathing.You are worth having children.You are worth going to college.You are worth telling jokes.You are worth writing poems.You are worth your life.You have a right to live.”
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