Did you know that suicide is preventable and that talking to someone about it won’t cause the act? Or that you can practice having these incredibly difficult but life-saving conversations?
Parents/guardians and community members are invited to attend one of three QPR (question, persuade, and refer) training sessions on Saturday, April 29. Register for the training here.
- 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Fossil Ridge High School, 5400 Ziegler Road, in Fort Collins
- 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Poudre Valley Hospital, 1024 S. Lemay Ave., in Fort Collins
- 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Road, in Fort Collins
QPR training is about three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. These sessions are made possible through a partnership between The Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Leadership Fort Collins, which is associated with the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce.
Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
A cohort of the 2022-2023 Leadership Fort Collins class (Cindy Crosby, Nick Armstrong, Travis Trottier, Andrea Coy, and Dr. Erika Michalski) recognized PSD’s efforts to address mental health concerns among our youth and wanted to provide support. They partnered with the Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County to offer a collection of QPR trainings for parents and community members seeking practical tools they can use if they encounter someone in crisis.
PSD is thankful for its many community partners that work to support our students and staff.
Suicide Myths and Facts
Myth: Talking to or asking someone if they are having suicidal thoughts may trigger the act.
Fact: Asking at-risk individuals if they are suicidal can help lower anxiety, open up communication, and lower the risk of an impulsive act. Talking with the person can help you to determine whether or not s/he is seriously considering suicide.
Myth: A person who talks about attempting suicide rarely follows through. He is probably just trying to get attention.
Fact: Two-thirds talked about their intentions before attempting suicide. They are not crying wolf just to get attention. They are reaching out for help because they are experiencing overwhelming emotional pain. All suicidal statements should raise red flags, even if the person jokes about it. If someone you know has mentioned the desire to die by suicide, take him/her seriously and act immediately.
Myth: There is really nothing you can do to help someone who is truly suicidal.
Fact: Most people who are suicidal do not want to die. They are in psychological pain, and they want to stop the pain. Many people who are suicidal do reach out for help. More than half the victims of suicide seek medical attention in the months leading up to their death.
Myth: People who threaten suicide are just seeking attention.
Fact: All suicide attempts must be treated as though the person has the intent to die.
Do not dismiss a suicide attempt as simply being an attention-gaining device.
If the person is saying this to get attention, this attention is likely needed.
The attention they get may well save their lives.