Super Trans Peer Mentor Program

Suicide Prevention and Intervention Workshop

Sally Morris

MindOUT! Queensland Coordinator

smorris@qahc.org.au

www.qahc.org.au/MindOUT

Learning objectives

• Identify why Trans people are at higher risk of poor mental health and risk of suicide

• Increased knowledge of how to respond in a situation where a trans person is at risk of suicide

• Increased confidence in how to respond to a trans person at risk of suicide

• Identify resources or supports

Values• Place yourself along the continuum

between strongly agree and strongly disagree Everyone has the right to take

their own life I can understand why people

suicide All suicides are preventable

What is Suicide?

Suicide is…• A conscious decision

to end one’s life• A solution to make

pain go away• Seeing this as the

only solution

Suicide is not…• A rational decision• Taking into account all

impacts or consequences of death

• Taking into account other options and solutions

At Risk Communities• People experiencing mental ill-health or disability• People with addiction to drugs or alcohol• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People• Men aged between 25 and 44 years• People who have previously attempted suicide • Young People aged under 24 • People bereaved by suicide • Culturally and linguistically diverse people, especially

refugees • People in rural and remote areas, especially males and

indigenous people• People who are homeless• People living with HIV

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex community also have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicide.

2.3%

15.7%

20%

Suicide Ideation

(current)

Suicide Attempts

(lifetime)

3.3%

42%50%

Blue - General PopulationYellow - Lesbian, Gay and BisexualPurple - TransgenderGreen - Intersex

The story of our lives• Stigma and Prejudice• Discrimination• Homophobia and Transphobia• Heterosexism and Heteronormative assumptions• Internalised Homophobia and self hatred• Social Exclusion and isolation • Minority Stress• LGBTI negative trauma• Family and community rejection

Some Trans specific experiences • Gender norms and rigid gender roles• Cultural and family roles, responsibilities & expectations• Mental disorder classification• Gate keepers & hurdles to transition process• Coming out & disclosing identity • Transitioning • Lack of services (especially in rural & regional areas)• Unequal legal recognition and legal discrimination• Name and gender documentation change process• Higher risk of discrimination and violence• Transphobia and lateral violence within LGBTI community

Indicators someone may be at risk of suicide

• Expressing suicidal thought through Direct Verbal Cues

Indicators someone may be at risk of suicide

• Expressing suicidal thought through Indirect Verbal Cues

Indicators someone may be at risk of suicide

• Behavioural warning signs

Indicators someone may be at risk of suicide

• Precipitating events

WHAT CAN I DO IF I AM WORRIED ABOUT

SOMEONE?

A LOT!!

Initiate Talk Invitation

• Invite your friend to talk about their thoughts and feelings

Initiate Talk Conversation Starters

• Using open-ended questions are a good way to start a conversation.

Initiate Talk Listen

• Listening, rather than talking, is a way of understanding how someone feels.

Initiate Talk Ask Questions

• Ask your friend about their mood and how they are coping with life

Assessing Risk Ask about Suicide

• Be direct, confident and stay calm• Its ok to use the word ‘suicide’• Do not show any negative judgement

Assessing Risk Risk & Protective Factors

Risk Factors• Plan?• Predisposing risk factors?• Life Stressors?• Continuous thought about

suicide?

Protective Factors• Connection?• Hope?• Purpose? • Meaning?

Assessing Risk Risk of Suicide is high when

• Thoughts of Suicide– Consistent or significant thinking over the

past week• Plan about their suicide

– Specific how, where, when

Assessing Risk Making an Assessment

• Do you feel your friend is at risk of suicide?

• What are they telling you?• Are there a lot of risk factors?• Are there few protective factors?• How immediate is the risk?• What is your gut telling you?

REMEMBER!!

• If you feel that your friend’s life or safety is at risk contact the emergency services on 000 immediately

• Or take them to an hospital emergency department and stay with them until they are seen by a doctor.

Keeping them safe Let them know you are worried

• Let them know openly and honestly that you have concerns that they are at serious risk of suicide, and that you feel that their safety is at risk.

Keeping them safe Let them know you care

• Reminding them of their value and worth can help connect them to the serious impact that their suicide will have.

Keeping them safe Reducing Risk

• Delaying the opportunity and removing access to means can significantly reduce the risk of suicide.

Keeping them safe Be There For Them

• Don’t underestimate the value of having someone just simply be there. This reminds them that they aren’t alone.

Keeping them safe Find Alternatives

• Consider how easy, effective, safe and legal the alternative is.

Check out ‘101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws’ by Kate Bornstein

Keeping them safe Linking With Professionals

• It is important to link them with a mental health professional as soon as possible

Keeping them safe Linking With Support Networks

• You can also encourage and assist them to broaden their supportive network

Keeping them safe Follow Through

• Suicidal thoughts may not go away quickly. You need to check in with your friend regularly to see how they are going.

Keep in Mind!Helpful

• Stay calm and don’t take their responses personally

• Be firm, fair and consistent • Try not to panic if you don’t know or

feel how to act. • REMEMBER, just letting them talk can

sometime be help enough until a professional can be contacted

• Reserve judgement• Remember that you care a lot for your

friend and that you want to help them • Staying with someone • Acknowledging your personal safety• Know your boundaries• Get support from professionals

Unhelpful• Pressure them to ‘snap out of it’, ‘get

their act together’, ‘cheer up’ or ‘calm down’

• Stay away or avoid them • Tell them they just need to stay busy or

get out more • Pressure them to party more or wipe

out how they’re feeling with drugs or alcohol

• Assume the problem will just go away. • Tell them they are being ridiculous• Ignore them, when they tell you they

are considering suicide• Tell them they are attention seekers • Minimising situation• Ignoring warning signs or requests for

help

Resources list

• Immediate Crisis supports• LGBTI organisations• Suicide Prevention Resources• LGBTI Mental Health Resources• LGBTI Medical Centres