Why I Ask: Talking About Suicide

One person commits suicide every 13 minutes in the United States (Save.org).

This equals 117 deaths by suicide EVERY DAY (AFSP).

Honestly, these statistic speak for themselves. The numbers are why I ask every.single.client about suicide in our first session.

We know that suicide is preventable. Research tells us that asking about suicide works to reduce attempts and completions. This is why I ask.

Suicide is a scary topic. It is hard to talk about wanting to die and feeling hopeless. Asking another person if they are thinking of suicide is also intimidating. Many avoid the question altogether, simply because it is hard and scary. I agree that it is hard, but I ask anyway.

Reducing stigma around mental health problems and suicide begins with facing the issues head on. Who else is in a more natural position to do this than a social worker or therapist? This is why I ask.

Many of my clients express that they are not suicidal or have never been suicidal. I still ask because this could change one day. I ask so that everyone knows that talking about suicide is always acceptable in my office. Now or later.

Good training and support around talking about and addressing suicide helps with those feelings of fear. The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)* has helped me feel confident and prepared to have this conversation. I am trained and I have good professional support. This is why I ask.

Are you interested in training to help you help others who might be considering suicide? Look for an ASIST* training in your community. This is a training for ANYONE who is 16 years or older.

Let’s work together to prevent suicide!

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Bethany Raab is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Denver, Colorado.
She is dedicated to helping teens and families be happy and healthy!

*LifeWorks is not paying for an endorsement from me. The training is so good that I am happy to provide free advertising for ASIST.