The California Fire Service July - August 2024

7

The California Fire Service

Suicidal Signs It’s common to feel helpless after someone dies by suicide, either because we “saw it coming” but didn’t know what to do or because we didn’t see it at all. That’s why it’s important to train ourselves to recognize and act when we see warning signs. Suicide prevention experts agree that most, but not all, people who die by suicide exhibit warning signs, including: Talking about wanting to die Looking for a way to kill oneself Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain

Gordon Graham often speaks about proximate causes and root causes of tragedy in public safety. Too often, he says, we tend to focus on the proximate cause: The fire apparatus was involved in a collision because the driver failed to stop at a red light. Gordon stresses that to prevent such tragedies from happening, we must seek the root cause: Was there a lack of policy about stopping at red lights? Was training inadequate? Did the captain fail to properly supervise his or her crew? I think we can all agree suicide is a tragedy, so the same process applies here. When someone in public safety dies by suicide, our natural tendency is to look for what may have “caused it” — divorce? A really tough call or series of traumatic incidents? Loss of a loved one? These questions, while well intentioned, may be misguided. Instead, we should be focused on the root causes of suicide. Further, focusing on the what or whys around a specific death by suicide misses the opportunity to engage our members in conversations about the potential for people to recover from depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation. Having suicidal thoughts does not mean someone is weak or flawed — and it does not mean the person will wind up killing themselves. We need to bring more positive, honest stories of hope, recovery and healing to our discussions so that our members are empowered to seek help.

Talking about being a burden to others Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly Sleeping too little or too much Withdrawing or feeling isolated Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge Displaying extreme mood swings

The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.

“Having suicidal thoughts does not mean someone is weak or flawed.”

CSFA.NET