Discussion Suicide prevention course I did

[persimmon]

Just remembered I did this almost exactly two years ago. I do some tutoring online and someone recommended it as part of safeguarding skills. It wasn't too bad but it had a lot of 'no sh!t Sherlock' stuff like "Signs of self-harm: fresh scars". I completed the course but I can't help but thinking I'd be a terrible disappointment to them now posting here. Ah well.

 

[dragonofenvy]

I think they're the ones who are a bit of a disappointment. The whole mental health system when I went through it was all of that no shit Sherlock stuff you mentioned and nothing that was useful. Was the suicide prevention course designed for others to prevent suicide or the suicidal person to not commit suicide? If it was the former I guess it could've been useful since it maybe could've given them some things they never thought about but the whole "fresh scars = self harm????" thing is just lmao gee thanks never would've thought of that myself.

 

[Final_Choice]

I'm a former volunteer for the crisis textline and I sometimes feel the same way, but at the same time I now realize that the fault isn't on me but on the mental health system which we currently have in place. I still volunteer from time to time, helping those in a crisis and following procedures as I should, and even going beyond and doing my best to connect and assist people, but the methods we utilize don't help everyone, it's only for those in a mental crisis and plan to do something drastic based on impulse and not something planned out.

I still feel that one should not CTB based on a short impulse, but that if you analyze all aspects of your life in an unbiased way and feel that death would for one reason or another is better than continuing to live then you should have a right to a dignified death based solely on yourself and no one else.

 

[persimmon]

I'm a former volunteer for the crisis textline and I sometimes feel the same way, but at the same time I now realize that the fault isn't on me but on the mental health system which we currently have in place. I still volunteer from time to time, helping those in a crisis and following procedures as I should, and even going beyond and doing my best to connect and assist people, but the methods we utilize don't help everyone, it's only for those in a mental crisis and plan to do something drastic based on impulse and not something planned out.

I still feel that one should not CTB based on a short impulse, but that if you analyze all aspects of your life in an unbiased way and feel that death would for one reason or another is better than continuing to live then you should have a right to a dignified death based solely on yourself and no one else.

I think it's great that you volunteered @Final_Choice and I think everything you say is totally fair. I used to work on psych wards many years ago and I've talked a few people off ledges myself so I do get the instinct. I think a lot of people are just very uncomfortable with the idea that suicide can be entirely rational. That's where "there's always a better solution!" comes from. Sometimes there just isn't.

I think they're the ones who are a bit of a disappointment. The whole mental health system when I went through it was all of that no shit Sherlock stuff you mentioned and nothing that was useful. Was the suicide prevention course designed for others to prevent suicide or the suicidal person to not commit suicide? If it was the former I guess it could've been useful since it maybe could've given them some things they never thought about but the whole "fresh scars = self harm????" thing is just lmao gee thanks never would've thought of that myself.

A lot of it was awareness – for example if someone starts getting all their affairs in order and seems particularly calm after a mental health crisis then that would be an indicator they were planning something. Safeguarding's a good thing, getting people the support they need even better but then we get the sanctity of life at any cost idea that is so destructive.

 

[dragonofenvy]

Safeguarding's a good thing, getting people the support they need even better but then we get the sanctity of life at any cost idea that is so destructive.

Ah okay I thought it was for suicidal people not for those in the field. It makes a lot more sense now and let's be fair it's better for them to say those things that are super obvious because some people otherwise wouldn't know. It's like a job, some people working there think things are super obvious and common sense but the newbie on their first day may not know and why would they? The sanctity of life cost thing is indeed destructive I agree. I think that there gets to be a point where someone can't be helped and should have the option for a peaceful exit should they choose. My life, my choice, especially if I've thought it out for many years.