| In helping a person deal with suicidal | | | | 3. Problem-solving. For cases that may |
| thoughts, it is best to combine the | | | | not involve other psychological |
| approach of treating the underlying | | | | illnesses such as depression, it may be |
| mental disorder and treating suicidal | | | | helpful to take note of Shneidman?s |
| tendencies directly. | | | | approach in preventing suicide. |
| A five-point suicide prevention plan, | | | | Following his ten commandments, it |
| dubbed SUPER, is presented below: | | | | becomes ultimately necessary to help the |
| 1. Savoring love. The social support | | | | person seek a solution, which is outside |
| system of the person with suicidal | | | | the person?s realm of thinking. |
| thoughts must let the people concerned | | | | As what Gerald Davidson, John Neale and |
| know about the emotional condition of | | | | Ana Kring explained in the article found |
| that suicidal person. A suicidal | | | | in Abnormal Psychology: ?Some Myths |
| individual may feel that he is alone | | | | about Suicide,? suicidal people do not |
| amidst many problems that he is facing. | | | | necessarily want to die. Instead, they |
| He may need reassurance of the love and | | | | only want to escape the negative life |
| support of his loved ones; and these | | | | events they are facing. Hence, an |
| people must know that they are there to | | | | effective suicide prevention program |
| help the person feel the warmth, | | | | must help the person understand that |
| appreciation, assistance, and | | | | killing himself is not the solution. |
| encouragement that he felt he had lost. | | | | Instead, the person must be taught of a |
| Under this step, the person and his | | | | problem-solving mechanism through which |
| family and/or social circles may | | | | he can determine various options in |
| organize bonding activities, such as | | | | dealing with the problem and assess the |
| eating meals together. Such activities | | | | consequences of each action that he |
| will help reestablish links to empower | | | | takes. It may consist of a flowchart of |
| the personal feeling of that suicidal | | | | things to do, with elaborations for each |
| person. Furthermore, the family or the | | | | step so that he can take note of the |
| social circle from which the person | | | | fact that each decision he makes must |
| experiences alienation may undergo | | | | really be a carefully thought decision. |
| counseling sessions that will determine | | | | 4. Establishing contacts. It will be |
| communication gaps needed to be filled | | | | wise to give the person numbers of |
| in. | | | | suicide service centers such as 24-hour |
| 2. Uncovering underlying causes. It must | | | | hotlines of psychological therapy |
| be understood that suicide may only be | | | | clinics that he can get in touch with |
| the so-called tip of the iceberg. Thus, | | | | whenever he feels very down or |
| it is extremely important to determine | | | | depressed. |
| the underlying causes for the person?s | | | | 5. Rediscovering the joy of living. |
| suicidal thoughts. For example, the | | | | Suicidal persons may have forgotten the |
| person may be suffering from treatable | | | | joy of living that they would most |
| mental disorders such as depression, | | | | certainly miss if they choose to die. |
| schizophrenia, substance abuse, or | | | | Therefore, ?rediscovery? trips will be |
| borderline personality disorder. If such | | | | effective in making them realize that |
| is the case, you must help the person | | | | committing suicide will deprive them of |
| avail of services from duly authorized | | | | so many wonders of the world, especially |
| therapists or physicians who will be | | | | those activities that the person are |
| able to give immediate relief to counter | | | | very interested in. |
| the suffering of that person. | | | | |