How Ohio State’s REACH program works with students to help prevent suicide

Suicide. The word catches your attention, doesn’t it? The truth is, suicide catches everyone’s attention. It is the actions that lead up to suicide that go unnoticed.

Anyone can help prevent suicide by learning the risks, warning signs, and how to intervene. REACH is The Ohio State University’s suicide prevention training program designed to help the OSU community prevent suicide by teaching faulty, staff, and students how to:

Recognize warning signs.

Engage with empathy.

Ask directly about suicide.

Communicate hope.

Help suicidal individuals to access care and treatment.

The training lasts approximately 90 minutes. Upon completion, participants who finish the training receive a certificate.

42,772 Americans die each year by suicide

In a classroom of 40 students, approximately 13 individuals are clinically depressed, 10 are thinking about suicide, and three have attempted to commit suicide.

In order to understand the complexity of suicide, one must understand — the numbers are higher than reported, certain groups are at higher risk, there are specific risk factors and warning signs and there are protective factors that can help reduce the risk.

Certain groups at Ohio State are at an elevated risk for suicide. These groups include male students, graduate/professional students, International students, returning veterans and members of the LGBTQ community. These individuals feel a sense of hopelessness and exhibit black and white thinking. They typically engage in isolation, which is detrimental to their state considering that the human touch they lack could actually prevent them from committing suicide.

Pre-existing mental health problems enhance the probability that a person will commit suicide. A prominent mental health problem that persists in suicidal individuals is depression. Substance abuse and impulsive or aggressive tendencies are also prevalent.

177 Americans die each day by suicide

Within the last year at Ohio State, one in three students reported prolonged periods of depression, one in four had suicidal thoughts or feelings, one in 14 (seven percent) actively considered suicide, and one percent attempted suicide. In addition, there have been 55 documented suicides on the University’s campus since 2000.

‘If I’m perfect, I don’t feel pain’

Unfortunately there is a stigma associated with suicide that prevents people from getting the help they need. As a preventative measure, the student body should promote a campus culture of caring by developing strong connections with others. This could be a simple as placing your phone face down while you have a meal with another student instead of subconsciously checking your text messages every five minutes. Alternatively, attentively listen and engage in a thoughtful discussion with that person. Because the best protective factor is YOU.

Recognize warning signs

Most people “tell” another person prior to committing suicide. 90 percent demonstrate clear warning signs while 80 percent verbally tell someone. All signs count, including when your friend tells you, “If I do not pass this exam, I am going to kill myself.” However, the most common response is silence. Because what do we think? Oh, they’re kidding. They wouldn’t actually go through with it.

It is important to remember that people who are suicidal do NOT want to die. They want the pain to end. So, in addition to risk factors, pay attention to statements, red flags, and situational triggers.

Direct and indirect statements include: “I wish I were dead,” “Nobody cares if I live or die,” and “I just can’t do this anymore.” Certain red flags are unexplained anger and aggression, dropping out of school or missing classes, and acquiring a gun or stockpiling pills. If a person is already at risk, public embarrassment, relational loss and lack of social support may act as a situational trigger.

Engage with empathy

To use empathy, let the suicidal individual know you want to help. Listen to them and respond, but do not interrupt. When speaking, speak slowly and calmly. It is also essential that you focus on the person and their story, not yours. It is easy for us to attempt to resonate with one another by relating our personal problems and situations to someone else. However, this is not beneficial to that person. They do not hear you and they do not care. Refrain from judging and giving advice. Be yourself, and simply ask, “R U OK?”

To engage, reach out (i.e. talk after class, call) and express concern.

Ask about suicide

When you are concerned, do something. By the time you notice, the person is already in distress. Talking about suicide will not put the idea in someone’s head.

Be gently persistent. Follow-up, ask again, and be a consistent voice of caring. Recognize that it is uncomfortable by identifying that you understand it is difficult to talk about, but be direct and use the word “suicide.” Remind them that you care and want to help.

Communicate hope

This is not the same thing as telling someone what to do or minimizing their problems. Let them know that they are not alone and that they have options. There are people and services and you should offer their assistance. For instance, tell them that you are willing to help them get connected to resources.

Help access care and treatment

Get them to the resources. Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem. A problem to which there is no “quick fix.”

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For information about The Ohio State University Suicide Prevention Program:

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://suicideprevention.osu.edu

Twitter: @OSUREACH

Student Groups: Buckeye Campaign Against Suicide (BCAS) & Peers REACHing Out (PROs)

To receive assistance for you or another person:

OSU Counseling & Consultation Service

www.ccs.ohio-state.edu

(614) 292-5766

Columbus Hotline: 614-221-5445

National Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

OSU Police: 614-292-2121

In emergency, dial: 911