On Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, the Division of Student Affairs, the Department of Behavioral Sciences and the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network hosted the screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect.
This documentary highlights the miraculous story of Kevin Hines, which has impacted the lives of many who have struggled with suicide as well as the families who have lost loved ones to suicide.
It all starts with three simple words, “Are you okay?”
September is nationally known as Suicide Prevention month. The goal of this month-long dedication to suicide prevention is to increase awareness of suicide and the signs that show in those who are crying out for help. Their cries are just another way of begging to be asked those three simple words, “Are you okay?”
Kevin Hines was 19 years old and diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he made the decision to jump off the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge to end his life.
“Were it not for the alert actions of now-retired U.S. Coast Guard officer Marcus Butler and trauma nurse Christy Frecceri, Hines’ story would have died with him,” according to Medium.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year-olds according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In The Ripple Effect Hines admits that he didn’t want to die.
“As soon as I jumped, I immediately regretted it,” said Hines. “All I wanted was for someone to reach out to me and ask if I was okay.”
Later in the film, Hines addressed the fact that people who struggle with suicidal thoughts don’t want to die; they just want their pain to go away.
Common signs of suicidal thoughts include depression, distress, hopelessness about the future, decrease in social engagements, change in behavior, direct comments about wanting to end their life, etc.
Through Suicide Prevention training given by John’na Webster and Stephanie Hayslett (Staff Counselor) from Student Health and Counseling Services, there is a three-step method: Question, Persuasion and Referral (QPR).
During the QPR training, Webster explains that the first thing to do is ask the questions “Can I help you?” or “Are you okay?”
If you are comfortable with a more direct approach, Webster also suggests asking: “Are you having suicidal thoughts?”
If any of the responses point to suicidal thoughts, experts advise to ask them to talk about it. According to the QPR training, listening is the greatest gift one human can give another.
Student Health Counselor, Stephanie Hayslett, presented several tips on the next step, which is to persuade the person to get help.
As hard as it may be, don’t rush to judgment or be quick to give advice, Hayslett explained. Focus on solutions to help overcome the problems that are bringing forth the suicidal thoughts.
The last step is referral. As thoroughly explained in the training session, the best referral is by taking them to a mental health provider or other appropriate professional such as the Student Health and Counseling Services provided on campus.
The next best referral, according to QPR training, is when the person agrees to see a professional and they will commit to going to the appointment. The third best referral is getting the person to agree to accept help, even if it’s in the future.
“When confronting a friend or loved one with QPR, remember that it is better to break their confidentiality if their life is in danger,” expressed John’na Webster.
“It’s better to have an angry friend or loved one than a dead one. Remember, it all starts with three simple words, “Are you okay?”
