SUICIDE PREVENTION
How to Cope with Depression or Prevent Suicide Using a Crisis Plan
When it comes to preventing suicide, we don’t often think about having a plan in place to prevent it from happening. Here’s how to make one and a free template of the one I use. ❤️
Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation we can’t seem to talk ourselves out of. What if we or a loved one helped us come up with a plan to help prevent something so tragic from happening? What if we had people to help us see the light when we are struggling to see anything?
While I was in the hospital getting help overcoming my thoughts of suicide, I was encouraged to come up with a Crisis Plan. A crisis plan is intended to help you prevent suicide in the future. I think it is a good tool to have whether you have gotten that sick or not.
If you struggle with depression at all, I think it is a good idea to be prepared and have a crisis plan in place before anything can spiral out of your control.
Though a lot of a crisis plan is created out of the experience of a crisis, I think it’s important to have a plan for prevention. If you or someone you love struggles with depression and or suicidal thoughts, it might be a good idea to consider putting one of these together.
Where to start
Start by writing down what you are like when you are doing well and stable. Then, if you have experienced those suicidal tendencies, write down what symptoms someone could be watching for to alert them that you might be struggling.
Write down a list of your care providers including your General Practitioner and therapist, along with their telephone numbers.
List your current medications and what they are being taken for. Then list medications you are allergic to and your reactions if possible.
Add your supporters
Come up with a list of supporters, people who would be willing to support you in preventing any potential suicide attempts in the future. Ask them if they would be willing to help you out.
This can be a family member, a friend, a clerical leader, or someone from a support or church group. List their phone numbers and give them a roll to take care of.
For example: Maybe someone to take the kids and someone to get you out of the house to change the scenery. Or maybe you need someone to make dinner for your family and hang out with the kids so that you can take a bath.
Sometimes you need more extensive help, but if you can get helpers to come and help you assess the situation and allow you to take care of yourself, it can make a huge difference.
Follow up with a list of things that people can do to support you when you are struggling. List the types of self care options that help reduce your symptoms and pull you out of a rut.
It would also be a good idea to list a few things that people shouldn’t do when you are in a bad place. For me, it is never a good time to give me advice when I am in a rut like that. Make sure to say that those things will make the situation worse.
You should also come up with a plan for inactivating this crisis plan. Which behaviors need to be under control and for how long before people can safely leave you on your own again?
An example and my free template for anyone that needs it
Here’s an example below of the one I made. You can download the PDF here for free and use it to make your own.
After you have finished your crisis plan, take some time to deliver it to the supporters on your list and discuss with them their roll in your recovery.
Again, please use this PDF to help you. I hope this is able to help someone.
I am not a doctor or a therapist, I am only sharing something that has helped me. If you are currently in crisis, please call your local crisis hotline or 911.
