Myth: You Must be a Clinician to Help Prevent Suicide
Most mental health professionals aren’t specifically trained to provide suicide support, nor are they comfortable with it. Moreover, approximately 50% of the people who die by suicide were never in contact with the mental health system.
Fact: Anyone Can Help Another Person Make Different Choices
It’s a basic act of caring for others that allows us to inquire about their thoughts, listen to their concerns, and help them find alternatives.
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Evidence
There’s clear evidence that clinicians are not comfortable treating patients with suicidal ideation. We need everyone – including both clinicians and non-clinicians – to support people who are considering suicide.
In Support of the Myth
None identified.
To Refute the Myth
“Our study suggests that attitudes and beliefs of clinical and non-clinical general hospital personnel towards suicidality were unexpectedly similar, and reinforces the need for suicide awareness training programs in the general hospital setting.”
"Psychologists’ Willingness to Provide Services to Individuals at Risk of Suicide" (2018)
“…a notable minority of psychologists in independent practice are unwilling to provide services to people reporting suicidal ideation and intent.”
"The Use of Gatekeepers in Crisis Management" (1971)
“We frankly do not know how to overcome all the prejudice that exists with professional who believe they have a corner on help-giving ability. What we know is that happened with us. We started out with a notion we half believed in. Now we really believe that gatekeepers are truly significant helpers.”
Unclear or Mixed Support
“Behavioral health providers and those in the ED reported feeling prepared to deliver suicide-related care, with nurses feeling less confident and less supported.”
"Clinician Attitudes Toward the Suicide Attempter" (1975)
“The findings with respect to social-contextual variables, although statistically significant, probably reflect generic attitudes of residents toward any patient who comes in during the late evening or early morning hours rather than feelings specifically directed toward the suicidal patient. It should not be surprising that the resident after working for 16 to 18 hours (awakened to evaluate a patient) may feel somewhat resentful and, if the case is complex or difficult, some anxiety as well.” They attribute the challenges to early morning.
Learn more about suicide myths – and the truths behind them – by following the links below.