Suicide conference suggests safety plan

Those at risk from suicide should put together a safety plan they can quickly consult and likely prevent their untimely demise, a psychiatrist said Thursday in a videoconference with members of the Quay County Health Council.

Dr. Avi Kriechman, who works for the New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition and the University of New Mexico’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, made those and other suggestions during a “Suicide Prevention: Enhancing Safety” presentation.

The health council has made suicide prevention a higher priority. Quay County Assessor Janie Hoffman launched her own “Make the Call” suicide-prevention campaign in December after learning of a spike of suicide deaths in the region. One Tucumcari mental-health counselor and Sheriff Russell Shafer told the Quay County Sun they observed a rise in such deaths in 2020. Final county data on such deaths won’t be known for several more weeks.

Kriechman said one common myth is suicide often is minimized and that people think nothing can be done about it. However, a Harris Poll of a half-million people revealed 94% of Americans think suicide can be prevented, and 94% would want to help those with suicidal thoughts.

He also broadened the definition of a suicide attempt. Kriechman described it as an act of self-injury with an intent to die.

“A scratch or a first pill swallowed is a suicide attempt,” he said.

Risk factors for suicide include psychological pain, stress, agitation, hopelessness and self-hate. Protective factors to prevent include hope, confidence to solve problems, frustration tolerance, attachment to life, fear of suicide or its immorality and fear of social disapproval.

A safety plan for an at-risk person should include these items, Kriechman said:

• Warning signs, such as lack of sleep, disconnection, isolation and drug abuse;

• Distraction activities to cope, such as going for a walk, playing a video game or taking a bath;

• Who can I call to distract me from suicidal thoughts?

• Who can I call for help?

• A phone number for a therapist, on-call person or an emergency contact;

• Limit access to lethal means, including firearms, alcohol and medication;

n What is the most important thing I need to remember about why I should live?

Kriechman said people need to increase their awareness of the warning signs of suicide and the good things, which he called “green flags,” they can resort to for safety.

Kriechman was adamant about limiting access to guns to suicidal people. He said less than 5% of people who overdose on pills will die. Only 3% who cut themselves in a suicide attempt will die. He said more than 90% of those who choose firearms in a suicide attempt will die.

If a highly lethal means isn’t available, the person likely will delay the suicide attempt or use a less-lethal method, increasing the chance of survival. Kriechman noted a suicidal crisis often lasts just a few minutes. He said a survey of those who survived jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco indicated 95% of them never attempted suicide again.

He said a good resource for those suicidal is the New Mexico Crisis Line at 1-855-NMCRISIS or the Suicide Prevention Line at (800) 273-8255. He also recommended by My3 app for smartphones that can help a user create a safety plan.

A video of Thursday’s seminar can be viewed on the Facebook of the Quay County Health Council.