September was Suicide Prevention Month, and a local group offered a workshop on what we all can do to improve our response to, and understanding of, mental health issues in others, including tips on how to deal with co-workers, friends and family who may be in distress.
Facilitator Meghan Vornholt of Cochrane’s Community Helpers Program offered the session at The Station, where a group of volunteers from Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area gathered to learn what they could.
The Community Helpers Program aims to promote mental wellbeing and raise awareness about the issue of suicide among youth and young adults, ages 12 to 30. They do this by training the natural helpers in our community to support young people who may be struggling.
Helpers learn a variety of topics and skills including effective communication, self-care, coping with stress, knowing when to refer people to professional services, handling crisis situations, and suicide awareness.
In addition to developing skills and increasing knowledge, helpers are introduced to community services and professional supports. This connection bridges informal and formal supports in the community, enabling helpers to refer peers and family to expert support when needed.
The principles and advice Vornholt presented are applicable to anyone in any situation where they may suspect that someone might be experiencing mental health issues. For a group like Helping Hands, which deals with a wide variety of Cochranites in different circumstances, the skillsets could be particularly useful.
One of the first principles in recognizing potential mental health issues in others is looking for signs and symptoms of stress and concern. Some examples of common signs may include: constant early arrival at work or school; tardiness; absences; suspensions, or frequent schedule changes.
Physical symptoms may include: staggering or stumbling; lack of coordination; dilated pupils; slurred speech; poor hygiene; sleeping in class/office; drastic changes in appearance, or self-harm.
Some behavioural changes that may be associated are: continued breaking of rules; fighting; cheating; sudden outbursts; dramatic attention-seeking; extreme negativism; lack of motivation; change of friends (usually negative); jumpiness if touched; withdrawal; constant washing; attempts to run away from home and, sudden drop in grades.
Good listening skills are the key to approaching someone who may need help.
Some of these behaviours may indicate the person involved needs help, and referral to an adult or a professional may be a good option.
Someone who needs help may deny there is anything wrong, adding to the delicacy of dealing with the situation.
Vornholt referred to a number of tools available to guide those contemplating how to approach someone they think might need help.
The talk touched on recognizing signs and symptoms, acting to protect the person feeling suicidal, and referring the person to other helpful resources.
One tool specifically designed to identify signs and symptoms common to those displaying suicidal tendencies is called PASES, which stands for Physical, Actions, Self-Talk, Emotions, and Situations.
Physical elements may include crying, being tired, aches, sleep patterns, weight changes, or speaking in a low voice.
Actions include withdrawal, risk-taking, giving away possessions, increased use of alcohol or drugs, promiscuity (particularly in female youth), actively seeking means of suicide, or loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities.
Under the heading of “Self-Talk,” Vornholt gave a couple of examples of phrases to watch for.
“You may hear them saying things like ‘I’m a loser’ or ‘They’ll be better off without me,’ she said.
Emotions could include expressions of being hopeless, helpless or worthless.
And the last category, “Situations,” refers to loss (of people and things, such as the death of a loved one, end of a relationship, loss of self-esteem), and change beyond a person’s control (moving, parents divorcing, bullying or abuse.)
There are a number of resources available to those who may need help with mental health issues. Anyone looking to explore what’s out there, or where to even start can go to Cochranecares.ca for a comprehensive listing of all kinds of mental health issues from 24/7 suicide support lines, grief counselling, addiction programs – just about anything that falls under the heading of mental health.
The Distress Centre help line, which takes calls or texts, is open 24/7, at 403-266-4357 (HELP).
The Talk Suicide Canada line also offers 24/7 phone support at 1-833-456-4566 and text support from 2 to 10 pm.
