Related story: A Tribal Tragedy: State’s Native peoples have alarmingly high suicide rates Nov. 21, 2010

Learn more

These educational resources are specific to suicide among Native Americans and offer statistical information as well as awareness and prevention materials.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center
877-GET-SPRC (877-438-7772)
www.sprc.org

One Sky Center
503-494-3703
www.oneskycenter.org

Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
404-498-2320
www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/AIAN/AIAN.htm

Suicide prevention tips

According to Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES), a nonprofit organization based in Madison, people considering suicide may:

• Talk about killing themselves and become fixated on death
• Make statements of hopelessness and belittle their own worth
• Suddenly become happier or calmer
• Lose interest in hobbies
• Start visiting or calling loved ones
• Start putting affairs in order and making arrangements
• Start giving things away

More than 90 percent of those who kill themselves have treatable mental illnesses, such as depression or substance abuse.

Some signs of depression:

• Substance abuse
• Irritability, increased crying, anxiety and panic attacks
• Difficulty concentrating and remembering.
• Disrupted eating and sleeping patterns.
• Loss of interest in ordinary activities.
• A persistent sad mood.

What to do when you notice a warning sign:

Talk with the person about depression and suicide in a nonjudgmental way to prompt him or her to seek help.

Some questions to ask include: “Do you ever feel so badly that you think of suicide?” and “Do you have a plan?” and “Do you have access to what you would use?” These questions will help to gauge whether the danger is immediate, and if immediate help is needed. Always take action when you learn of suicide plans, including calling 911 or taking the person to the emergency room.

Don’t try to minimize the person’s problems, convince him or her that things will get better or that he or she has many reasons to live. This may only increase feelings of guilt and hopelessness. It’s better to let the person know that help is available, depression is treatable and suicidal feelings are temporary.

If you deem the danger not immediate, acknowledge the person’s suffering as legitimate and offer to help work through the pain. Help to find a doctor or a mental health care professional right away.

Where to seek help

If you are contemplating suicide or have lost a loved one to suicide, these state and national organizations offer services such as counseling and support, or can connect you with help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Call this number if you are in crisis)
800-273-TALK (8255)

Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES)
www.hopes-wi.org
608-274-9686

Mental Health America of Wisconsin
www.mhawisconsin.org
Milwaukee office: 414-276-3122 or toll-free 866-948-6483
Madison office: 608-250-4368

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)-Wisconsin
www.namiwisconsin.org
608-268-6000
800-236-2988

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

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Suicide: Learn more or find help

by Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin Watch
November 21, 2010

<h1>Suicide: Learn more or find help</h1> <p class="byline">by Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin Watch <br />November 21, 2010</p> <div id="contentsbox"> <h2>On this page</h2> <ul> <li><a href="#learn"><strong>Learn more</strong></a> Educational resources, statistics and prevention materials specific to Native American suicides</li> <li><a href="#tips"><strong>Suicide prevention tips</strong></a></li> <li><a href="#help"><strong>Where to seek help</strong></a> Counseling and support from state or national organizations</li> </ul> </div> <p>Related story: <a href="https://wisconsinwatch.org/?p=5716">A Tribal Tragedy: State’s Native peoples have alarmingly high suicide rates</a> Nov. 21, 2010</p> <h2><a name="learn"></a>Learn more</h2> <p>These educational resources are specific to suicide among Native Americans and offer statistical information as well as awareness and prevention materials.</p> <p>Suicide Prevention Resource Center<br /> 877-GET-SPRC (877-438-7772)<br /> <a href="http://www.sprc.org">www.sprc.org</a></p> <p>One Sky Center<br /> 503-494-3703<br /> <a href="http://www.oneskycenter.org">www.oneskycenter.org</a></p> <p>Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities<br /> 404-498-2320<br /> <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/AIAN/AIAN.htm">www.cdc.gov/omhd/Populations/AIAN/AIAN.htm</a></p> <h2><a name="tips"></a>Suicide prevention tips</h2> <p>According to Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES), a nonprofit organization based in Madison, people considering suicide may:</p> <ul> <li>Talk about killing themselves and become fixated on death</li> <li>Make statements of hopelessness and belittle their own worth</li> <li>Suddenly become happier or calmer</li> <li>Lose interest in hobbies</li> <li>Start visiting or calling loved ones</li> <li>Start putting affairs in order and making arrangements</li> <li>Start giving things away</li> </ul> <p>More than 90 percent of those who kill themselves have treatable mental illnesses, such as depression or substance abuse.</p> <h3>Some signs of depression:</h3> <ul> <li>Substance abuse</li> <li>Irritability, increased crying, anxiety and panic attacks</li> <li>Difficulty concentrating and remembering.</li> <li>Disrupted eating and sleeping patterns.</li> <li>Loss of interest in ordinary activities.</li> <li>A persistent sad mood.</li> </ul> <h3>What to do when you notice a warning sign:</h3> <p>Talk with the person about depression and suicide in a nonjudgmental way to prompt him or her to seek help.</p> <p>Some questions to ask include: “Do you ever feel so badly that you think of suicide?” and “Do you have a plan?” and “Do you have access to what you would use?” These questions will help to gauge whether the danger is immediate, and if immediate help is needed. Always take action when you learn of suicide plans, including calling 911 or taking the person to the emergency room.</p> <p>Don’t try to minimize the person’s problems, convince him or her that things will get better or that he or she has many reasons to live. This may only increase feelings of guilt and hopelessness. It’s better to let the person know that help is available, depression is treatable and suicidal feelings are temporary.</p> <p>If you deem the danger not immediate, acknowledge the person’s suffering as legitimate and offer to help work through the pain. Help to find a doctor or a mental health care professional right away.</p> <p><a name="help"></a></p> <h2>Where to seek help</h2> <p>If you are contemplating suicide or have lost a loved one to suicide, these state and national organizations offer services such as counseling and support, or can connect you with help:</p> <p>National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Call this number if you are in crisis)<br /> 800-273-TALK (8255)</p> <p>Helping Others Prevent and Educate about Suicide (HOPES)<br /> <a href="http://www.hopes-wi.org" target="_blank"> www.hopes-wi.org</a><br /> 608-274-9686</p> <p>Mental Health America of Wisconsin<br /> <a href="http://www.mhawisconsin.org" target="_blank"> www.mhawisconsin.org</a><br /> Milwaukee office: 414-276-3122 or toll-free 866-948-6483<br /> Madison office: 608-250-4368</p> <p>National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)-Wisconsin<br /> <a href="http://www.namiwisconsin.org" target="_blank"> www.namiwisconsin.org</a><br /> 608-268-6000<br /> 800-236-2988</p> <p><em>The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (<a href="www.WisconsinWatch.org">www.WisconsinWatch.org</a>) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.</em></p> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinwatch.org/2010/11/suicide-learn-more-or-find-help/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinwatch.org">Wisconsin Watch</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/wisconsinwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cropped-WCIJ_IconOnly_FullColor_RGB-1.png?fit=150%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://wisconsinwatch.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=5768&amp;ga3=UA-17896820-1" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p> Copy to Clipboard

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