Resilience, Risk Reduction & Suicide Prevention

What do we know about suicide and the positive effects of resilience and suicide awareness training?

The Louisiana National Guard has experienced a number of Service Members lost to suicide. When a suicide occurs it does not affect just one person. Family Members, friends and co-workers are all touched and endure the long term effects.

There are many factors that contribute to suicide and are often deep rooted and very complex. Educating yourself on the signs of crisis and remaining resilient is a good start for combating suicide.

https://youtu.be/t5AYN7tpN3Y

One of the greatest barriers to the prevention of suicide is the stigma that surrounds seeking help.

-Educate yourself and family members about the warning signs and resources. Suicide does not discriminate.

-Increase visibility and knowledge of resources

-Reinforce the battle buddy system

-Use what you learn in training and take action when worried about the possibility of suicide occurring.

-Through program implementation and training at all levels, Leaders and Soldiers gain the knowledge about warning signs of extreme stressors and suicide behavior and the resources available to their Soldiers and Family members in a time of need.

-The suicide prevention, intervention and resilience skills trainings enhance and develop a Soldier’s ability to initiate engagement and life-saving conversations from the moment an initial concern is presented.

-By routinely receiving these trainings and putting them to use, Soldiers will develop the confidence to initiate future interventions.

-These skills allow for Soldiers to practice self-care and coping skills in their own times of adversity as well as recognize their personal duty to be ready, willing and able to assist when a fellow Soldier needs support.

-Institutionally, continued utilization of these skills helps Soldiers develop a culture of trust, engagement and a sense of responsibility when in a leadership role.

-The action of helping is a cognitive process and research indicates that the action is dependent on a person’s ability to say “yes” during a critical moment.