What to Do When Someone Is Suicidal

In this important interview, MedCircle host, Kyle Kittleson, and triple board certified neuropsychologist, Dr. Judy Ho, discuss what to do when someone is suicidal. They dive into 7 action steps to use when a loved one is feeling suicidal. This is also known as "suicidal ideation".

00:00 Intro
00:44 #1 Understand their mindset
01:21 #2 How to approach them
01:50 #3 List the behaviors you've noticed
02:20 #4 Ask an open-ended question
02:49 What to do if your concern lingers
04:30 Important techniques for children & teens
07:03 #5 Explain your emotions
07:58 #6 Practice the conversation
08:41 What NOT to do
10:27 #7 What to do in an emergency
11:23 Important final thoughts

Suicide Hotlines:
America: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Canada: 1-866-531-2600
Australia: 13 11 14
United Kingdom: [phone]
Beijing: 0800-810-1117
Hong Kong: [phone]
Japan/Tokyo: 81 (0) 3 5286 9090
Brazil: 55 11 31514109 or (91) 3223-0074
Mexico: 9453777
Germany: 0800 111 0 111
Russia: [phone]
India: 91-22-27546669
Iran: 1480
South Africa: 0800 12 13 14

#SuicidePrevention #MentalHealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #medcircle #suicideawareness #psychology

[MedCircle]

*If you are feeling depressed or contemplating suicide, please contact the suicide hotline number in your country (listed in the video description)*

[bugbean]

What you´ve missed to talk about in my eyes is that there are people who´re already severely traumatized and have also been traumatized by the psychiatric/medical field who would become dangerously suicidal by the threat of any intervention or evaluation. I know I´m not the only person who falls in that category. One time I just wanted to open up for the first time and talk about my suicidal struggles without being at risk of hurting myself at all. My new therapist at that time didn´t listen, ended the call and immediately called the ambulance to my place and guess what, I´ve almost been dead when they arrived. Not because I wanted to kill myself but because I was so desperate for being retraumatized that it was the only thing I could do to prevent it. I still remember how I struggled to do it and how unbearable the pain was because I wanted to live. This is almost 15 years ago now and I´m still chronically suicidal on an everyday basis. And I´m still here. I now have a trustworthy therapist who doesn´t force anything on me (he would have had to several times by law but didn´t) no matter how suicidal I am and I wish there would have been someone trusting me and really listening to me before. Because someone being there, really caring and being warm and loving is the best antidote to suicidality you could possibly have.

[edgreen]

When they seem calm they've made their decision. Ask questiions! 30 years of practice. I was lucky i had radar for this.

[SweetChestnut]

I was with them until the last part of the video. I have been on the receiving end of trying to voice my struggles with suicidal thoughts, and then having the therapist immediately call the ambulance to keep me in the hospital for 3 days. I won’t ever make that mistake again. Now I just never talk about it. I just wanted to talk and I was met with forced imprisonment and also to have nurses tell me that my scars weren’t that bad. If you threaten to call 911, then don’t be surprised when people don’t open up to you until it is too late. I also think it’s ridiculous to leave it up to any random person to make the judgement call as to whether or not to call 911.

[catimonster]

From experience, I will say do not ever call the police unless it is an absolute last resort. Here in the USA we have a horrible system in place for people in suicidal situations where their loved ones call for help. Those police officers who are “trained” to help will not take you to help in a dignified manor. You are handcuffed and taken away in either a police car or an armoured type vehicle. I’m sure this “treatment” has led many to take their lives rather than be subjected to this humiliation again, especially if your neighbors see the police taking you away in handcuffs. Or even just police at your house. We need a better system to help those who are in mental turmoils. I will NEVER reach out for that type of help again nor will I ever be put in an institution where they just want to pump you full of drugs only to find that those drugs are super expensive at the pharmacy. Our system sucks here

[cockatielobsession]

You cant tell anyone you are thinking of suicide or they will lock you up and give you pills that don't help. Hospitals can make things worse, not better. If you really feel suicidal, don't tell anyone. I've tried since I was 16 to get help. Im new 60, and it had to be your decision to keep being in pain, or make the pain stop.

[demigaines]

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THIS I NEEDED THIS
I HAVE BEEN SEVERELY DEPRESSED FOR OVER 8 YEARS
I WAS HORRIBLY ABUSED BY AN OVERT NARCISSISTS THIS PERSON DESTROYED MY SELF ESTEEM MY SELF WORTH
I BECAME SUICIDAL..
I WAS HAPPY BEFORE I MET THIS PERSON I DON’T EVEN KNOW THE MEANING OF BEING HAPPY
I ISOLATE MYSELF IN MY BEDROOM .I HAVE LET MYSELF GO.
THE WORSE ABUSE EVER IS NARCISSISTIC ABUSE.
IM SO GLAD I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LIFE COACH
SOON. I JUST WANNA GET ME

[FishbowlSoul]

Wish I had seen this 3 months, before my brother committed suicide. Hopefully this helps others to never have to experience the grief and regret for failing to get the help so desperately needed.

[JMigUK]

A very sensitive subject indeed, but so important, this should be discussed more often (not necessarily just in this channel), thank you 🙏🏻

[ogdenhollow]

Sometimes saving them doesn't make them better, it just prolongs the pain of their existence and they resent you for keeping them here.

[buckyb]

Dr. Judy is an excellent psychologist. I give her much respect. She explains everything well. She is articulate and she really knows what she is talking about. She is beautiful and confident. I am a big fan of hers. 🙂❤️

[danavixen]

You all TRULY put your heart into what you do. Thank you for the conscientiousness and the thoughtfulness. 😔🙏🏾♥️

[STEVOLOVESTHAILAND]

Thank you for this, I’m hurting everyday so much. This will help! Love all the help you provide ❤️

[rubin-healmysocialanxiety]

Thanks for spreading awareness on such an important topic 🙏♥

[BodyLanguageAnalysisInterrogat]

❤ Thank you for this practical, kind and very insightful info. 🙏

[SisterMinnie]

This video was very needed for the world to hear. I hope many lives will be saved now. Please do a series on this.

[joeboisselle]

Just one thing .. I would like to say that I have been looking for help and it's very hard. I'm not far from going over . I'm here watching this and barely have enough single on my phone to do so . I'm on a mountain with nobody around . I have no family or friends to help . I have nowhere to go and no one to call. It's to the point were I will have no one even to carry me to the hole in the ground . I can bet that I won't even be found for so long that I feel bad for the person that does find me . So I think that people should know that there are people that truely don't have anyone to help .I'm already done but I think that it should be easy for someone to get help .. not make them wait for over a hour to talk or. Fill out paperwork and then it's just to see if you qualify for help . It's not helping . I'm proof of it . Our life is already hard enough . Why make it harder .

[TH-ebro]

'I'm here what do you need right now? Let's call someone so I can help you. This is a great video. We can practice and we can put the crisis numbers in our phones.

[chatterbox]

While this is good advice in part, there are many scenarios to consider in personalities and situations.
Focusing on the positives does help. With depression, it is all negative. There is no light at the end of the tunnel (it's just a train not daylight). Most people are good at something, highlight it. Self esteem is very important and half of the battle with depression is that.
Building confidence in one's ability in crucial.

Unfortunately probably the biggest detraction is the American health care system with the lack of funding for mental health and social awareness in general. Labelled Socialism and yet it has so many social benefits leading to employment and paying tax.
Free counselling by professionals. Doctors psychologists and psychiatrists not amateurs in parents who in many ways are inept in dealing with these matters. It requires empathy and understanding requiring valuable time that so many just don't have.

[leyla]

the fact that i'm watching this to know how to take care of myself and my own suicidal episodes because i'm the only one who ever took care of me since i was born