Hope is a call or text away

Noticing warning signs can help prevent suicides

Sue Rosenstock, who lost a 16-yearold son to suicide and has become an ardent advocate for prevention, tells teenagers in Maryland and beyond that they can seek help by text message — through the number 741741.

Rosenstock also talks a lot about warning signs of emotional suffering: personality change, agitation, withdrawal, lack of self-care and hopelessness. And she gives out the U.S. suicide prevention number: 800-273-8255 (TALK).

“We want to increase help-seeking behaviours,” said Rosenstock, who founded the non-profit umttr (pronounced “you matter”) at umttr.org with her son’s friends after his 2013 death. One goal, she said, is to help teens “learn warning signs and look out for each other — not being junior psychologists, but being friends.”

Jill Harkavy-Friedman, vicepresident of research for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said constructive discussion about coping with loss, finding resources, supporting others and moving forward is important.

“One thing that’s important to know is you’re not going to make someone suicidal by talking about it,” she said, noting that some people mistakenly think conversations plant the idea.

Experts say the reasons for suicide are complex, often involving internal vulnerabilities and external triggers. The website for the foundation (afsp.org) includes a video on how to ask kids about suicide, as well as information for schools.

In Maryland, where two students recently took their lives, the youth suicide-prevention project Sources of Strength has been active in schools. School and county leaders also have started a campaign called BTheOne, focused on suicide prevention and substance abuse.

In Canada, a similar national suicide prevention hotline has yet to be established — although there have been reports of one set to be established. According to the government website (canada.ca), the Canadian Distress Line Network and its partners have already begun testing the service in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

At the moment, there is a tollfree 24/7 distress line available to serve First Nations and Inuit peoples that was launched in October 2016.

EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST The suicides of two students in Maryland recently sent a community into mourning and residents looking for answers. One goal of suicide prevention efforts, says advocate Sue Rosenstock, is to help teens “look out for each other.”