Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Kristi King Asking the right questions can better identify people at risk for #suicide, especially those with access to #firearms, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network. About half of those who try to kill themselves or died by #suicide answered that they were not thinking about killing themselves when asked if they were thinking of taking their own life. “But for whatever reason, higher-risk #gunowners are just less likely to say that they’re having thoughts about #suicide, even though they are definitely thinking about ways or methods to attempt #suicide,” said Craig Bryan, a professor of psychiatry and #behavioralhealth at Ohio State University. Bryan, who has a doctorate in clinical #psychology, led the study conducted with colleagues at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He said the research suggests that “maybe we change how we ask a question, by specifically asking, ‘Have you been thinking about ways or methods to attempt #suicide?’ As opposed to, ‘Have you been thinking about killing yourself?’” According to Bryan, the findings have implications within the health system and for family members and friends. “When we’re worried about someone that we care about, a loved one, many of us have learned to ask questions about: ‘Are you wanting to kill yourself? Are you thinking about #suicide?’ And it may be helpful for all of us to also add just another question when we’re concerned about someone that says, ‘Have you been thinking about ways to attempt #suicide?’” Bryan said. #Firearms account for half of all U.S. suicides. Bryan believes that’s because with just about every other method, there’s a longer period of time before a person would die. “And so there’s more opportunity for someone to change their mind, or for someone else to kind of intervene and help them,” he said. #James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book, Celebrating Your Gift of Life: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy http://www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com Bryan said people frequently ask him what they can do to help loved ones they believe are at risk of #suicide. “The implication here really is taking steps to improve safety within the household by locking up, securing personally owned #firearms; it’s probably the single most effective thing we can do to reduce suicides in the U.S.,” Bryan said. He said moments of crisis that can lead to #suicide tend to come on suddenly and don’t last long. He uses an analogy to illustrate how even a brief intervention might make a difference. “When someone is intoxicated, it’s not safe for them to drive. So, we might temporarily take away someone’s car keys or restrict their access to driving. And it might be the same here, for #suicide where if a gun-owner is going through a tough period, they’re experiencing intense #stress, we might temporarily change access to #firearms by locking up the #guns, by using safes or other locking devices, maybe even just temporarily removing the #firearm from the home,” Bryan said. “Once they get through that high-risk period, we can return the firearm. But it helps to reduce the probability of a bad outcome during that really, sort of, narrow period of time.” WTOP has reached out to the #NationalRifleAssociation for comment regarding the study. If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, you can call the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at 800-273-8255; you can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word TALK to 741741. Starting July 16, everyone in U.S. will be able to reach the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline by dialing 988. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
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