Lessons on how to help in suicide situation

TEXARKANA, Texas — American Foundation for Suicide Prevention of Arkansas held a two-day class in techniques for suicide prevention at the Collins House on Olive St. Over the training period, students learned techniques about how to prevent a person in a crisis moment from taking their own life.

“I lost my grandmother to suicide,” said Tyler West, volunteer board member and class instructor. “This happened in 2005. I struggled a very long time in attempting to process it. Eventually, I found the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at one of their “Out of the Darkness” walks, a special event they hold to raise both funds and awareness of issues relating to suicide. I joined the organization in 2010 and joined the board in 2012.”

Initially, West joined the organization to help push legislation issues related to suicide, but found himself gravitating to the organization’s efforts to train people in intervention in these situations. And eventually, he became an instructor. The idea of the classes is to train people to help those who may find themselves in a crisis moment and have something more than 911 to intervene.

“This class is Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, a twoday course designed to help anyone know how to help someone in an acute survival crisis,” he said. “Someone in that situation needs a unique type of help, provided with no judgement, but compassion. Shame, a sense of isolation, feeling like a burden, a suicidal person can get caught up in their own tunnel vision. This training gives someone techniques to help a person in that situation see a way out of the pain.”

Students learned techniques via interactive lessons.

“They came away with knowledge on how to help that person in that moment, poised on a bridge, ledge or similar situation,” West said. “They learned ways to talk them off. Some of those who attend this class are in professions that involve those in these moments, such as paramedics, police officers, firefighters, councilors, clergy. But many are just people in ordinary occupations who want to learn more about this, and to have some knowledge and tools, should they be confronted with a situation like this.”

Mae McKinnon of Prescott,

Arkansas, was there, spurred on by, among other things, her own experiences.

“There were times in my life I struggled myself,” she said. “I’ve had this training before. I’m retired from the Arkansas National Guard and had this class then. But in that environment, it is hard to relax and be open to the degree you need to be. My instructors were great, but I wanted to do it again. Besides the great instructors in this class, I wanted to learn more, both about my own struggle that I endured, as well as how to help in those situations.”

She says the class was quite helpful for her as well as anyone who learns the training.

“You get insight in this course,” she said. “And you never know when you may be the one that someone in this situation needs. Those around you would now have an additional resource besides 911. It can’t help but help.”

(American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding an Out Of The Darkness Walk this fall. For those interested in this class or other resources, contact Mary Meacham at 870-8346112 or email at mary.afsp.ar@gmail.com.)