Questions to Explore:
Are you having thoughts about suicide?
Have you put a plan together to take your life?
Have you set a date?
Have you chosen how you will die?
Have you purchased the equipment to kill yourself?
Have you made a pact with anyone?
Why do you think suicide is the solution?
Are you experiencing any physical pain anywhere?
What to Avoid:
Offering to keep their secret
Showing shock or disappointment
Being afraid of the silences in the conversation
Scolding them
Threatening them with hell
Trying to psychoanalyse them
Shaming them
Criticizing them
Belittling their reasons for wanting to die
Giving them permission to end their life if they want
Dismissing the sincerity of their intention as low risk
Mocking them and telling them it is a passing phase
Being condescending in your tone
Making promises you can’t keep
Engagement:
Use forward body posture
Listen to their reasons for dying without judgment
Use reassuring language
Speak quietly
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