#BE THE 1 TO

- INFOGRAPHIC
#BETHE1TO ASK THE
TOUGH QUESTION.
When somebody you know is in emotional pain, ask them
directly:
“Are you thinking about suicide”?
The flip side of the “Ask” step is to “Listen.” Make sure you
take their answers seriously and not to ignore them,
especially if they indicate they are experiencing thoughts of
suicide.

#BETHE1TO KEEP
THEM SAFE
Is your friend thinking about suicide?
Ask if they’ve thought about how they would do it and
separate them from anything they could use to hurt
themselves. If you are unable to be physically present
with someone with thoughts of suicide, talk with them to
develop some ideas for others who might be able to help
as well (again, only others who are willing, able, and
appropriate to be there). Listening is again very important
during this step – find out what and who they believe will
be the most effective sources of help.

#BETHE1TO BE THERE
1. If your friend is thinking about suicide,
2. Listen to their reasons for feeling hopeless and in
pain.
3. Listen with compassion and empathy and without
dismissing or judging. NEVER PROMISE TO KEEP A
SECRET.
4. The Keep Them Safe step is really about
showing support for someone during the times
when they have thoughts of suicide by putting
time and distance between the person and
their chosen method, especially methods that
have shown higher lethality (like firearms and
medications).

#BETHE1TO HELP THEM

CONNECT
Help your friend connect to a support system as soon
as possible, whether it’s 800-273-TALK(8255), family,
friends, clergy, coaches, counselors or therapists, so
they have a network to reach out to for help. ALWAYS
TELL SOMEONE!
One way to start helping them find ways to
connect is to work with them to develop a
safety plan. This can include ways for them
identify if they start to experience significant,
severe thoughts of suicide along with what to
do in those crisis moments. A safety plan can
also include a list of individuals to contact
when a crisis occurs.

#BETHE1TO FOLLOW UP
Check in with the person you care about on a regular
basis. Making contact with a friend in the days and weeks
after a crisis can make a difference in keeping them alive.
Why? This type of contact can continue to increase their
feelings of connectedness and share your ongoing
support.

Source: http://www.bethe1to.com/bethe1to-steps-evidence/
CONTINUED

STATISTIC:
As of September 2019, Suicide is the third leading cause of
death for youth between the ages of 15 and 29.
About 800,000 take their lives each year.

STUDENT / CRISIS TEXT

LINE:
Students’ lives have turned upside down as Coronavirus
has forced 90 percent of kids around the world to miss in-
person school. Anyone can text SCHOOL to 741741 to
connect with a Crisis Counselor. Totally free, 24/7.

TED ED TALK: KEVIN

BRIDGGES:
"What would you do if your family member, friend or
loved one was suicidal? What would you say? Would you
know what to say? In my experience, it's not just the
talking that you do, but the listening. Listen to understand.
Don't argue, blame, or tell the person you know how they
feel, because you probably don't. By just being there, you
may just be the turning point that they need. If you think
someone is suicidal, don't be afraid to confront them and
ask the question. One way of asking them the question is
like this: "Others in similar circumstances have thought
about ending their life; have you had these thoughts?"

TED TALK: NANCY LUBLIN

"We get things like, "I want to die. I have a bottle of pills on the desk
in front of me." And so the crisis counselor says, "How about you put
those pills in the drawer while we text?" And they go back and forth
for a while. And the crisis counselor gets the girl to give her her
address, because if you're texting a text line, you want help. So she
gets the address and the counselor triggers an active rescue while
they're texting back and forth. And then it goes quiet -- 23 minutes with
no response from this girl. And the next message that comes in says --
it's the mom -- "I had no idea, and I was in the house, we're in an
ambulance on our way to the hospital." As a mom that one just -- The
next message comes a month later. "I just got out of the hospital. I was
diagnosed as bipolar, and I think I'm going to be OK."

Source: http://www.bethe1to.com/bethe1to-steps-evidence/