CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. The Nature and Scope of Suicide
2. Recognizing the Progressive Development of Suicide
3. Substance Abuse as a Major Contributor to Suicide
4. Suicide Across the Life Span
5. Special Populations and Suicide Risk
6. Prevention and Early Intervention for Suicide and Substance Abuse Problems

Supplements
References
Resources

Holding the Lifeline
A Guide to Suicide Prevention

Protective Factors (What Helps Prevent Suicide?)

Protective factors are those factors that reduce the likelihood of suicide by enhancing resilience and decreasing risks:

• Increasing social support
• Increasing and/or improving coping skills
• Developing an understanding of mental health
• Decreasing the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health problems ref

Related to the above list of protective factors, but with some important additions, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) lists the following:

• Effective clinical care for mental, physical, and substance abuse disorders
• Easy access to a variety of clinical interventions and support for help-seeking
• Restricted access to highly lethal means of suicide
• Strong connections to family and community support
• Support through ongoing medical and mental healthcare relationships
• Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, and nonviolent handling of disputes
• Cultural and religious beliefs that discourage suicide and support self preservation ref