The suicide prevention training builds capacity in UW–Madison students to intervene and offer support for their friends and peers. This multi-part program can be done at your own pace and includes modules on foundations, recognizing warning signs, responding effectively, referring to resources, and includes scenarios for practice. This training is not a form of counseling or support for students in distress. Read more about the mental health services available for UW–Madison students.
If you have questions or comments about the training, email suicideprevention@uhs.wisc.edu
Additional Information from Suicide Prevention Training
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Part 1: Foundations
Terminology
- Suicide: death caused by self-directed, injury-causing behavior that was intended to cause death
- Suicidal Ideation: thinking about, considering, or planning for suicide
- Suicide Attempt: self-directed, injury-causing behavior that was intended to cause death, but may or may not have been fatal
- Suicide Attempt Survivors
- The Live Through This Project
- Suicide Attempt Survivors, American Association of Suicidology
- Suicide Attempt Survivors
- Self-Injury: self-directed, injury-causing behavior intended to cause injury, but not death
- Survivor of Suicide Loss: someone who has experienced the death of another person by suicide
- Support for Survivors of Suicide Loss
- Journey Mental Health Center (49 Kessel Court, Madison, WI 53711)
- Survivors of Suicide meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 7–9 p.m., is an adult self-help group for those grieving the death of a loved on by suicide. These meetings are free of cost and co-facilitated by a survivor of suicide loss/volunteer and a mental health professional.
- New Client Services: 608-280-2720
- General Phone Number: 608-280-2700
- Find a Support Group, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Journey Mental Health Center (49 Kessel Court, Madison, WI 53711)
- Information
- Loss Survivors, Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Suicide Loss Survivors, American Association of Suicidology
- I’ve Lost Someone, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Survivors of Suicide Loss, Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- Support for Survivors of Suicide Loss
- Stigma: When we view another person in a negative way because of certain personal traits they have, behaviors they engage in, or experiences they have had.
- Personal, interpersonal, and societal
- Informs our actions
- We have the power to reduce stigma!
- Stigma Free, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness, Mayo Clinic
Language that Helps Reduce the Stigma around Suicide
- “Died by suicide” (rather than “committed suicide”)
- “Fatal suicide attempt” (rather than “successful suicide”)
- “Nonfatal suicide attempt” (rather than “unsuccessful suicide”)
- “Someone who attempted suicide” (rather than “suicide attempter”; learn more about Person-First Language)
- “Shared thoughts of suicide” (rather than “threatened suicide”; see Violence Prevention and Survivor Services)
Additional Information about Suicide
- There is a complicated relationship between mental health and suicide.
- When we work together to make change, suicide can be prevented.
- Asking someone directly about suicidal ideation can prevent suicide.
- When someone talks about suicide, we need to take them seriously—even when they are joking or intoxicated.
- People can threaten suicide as a form of emotional abuse.
- “Feeling Manipulated by Suicide Threats?”
- Violence Prevention and Survivor Services
- UHS Survivor Services provides confidential support to UW–Madison student victims/survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking.
- To inquire about setting up an appointment, please email survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu or call 608-265-5600 Option 3.
- Learn more about on-campus and community resources, including medical options, reporting options, population-specific services, and legal services.
- Help Lines and Crisis Lines
- UHS Survivor Services provides confidential support to UW–Madison student victims/survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking.
National Data on Suicide
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States and the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10–34.
- Between 2001 and 2017, the total suicide rate increased 31% from 10.7 to 14.0 per 100,000 people.
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA, 2017)
- Suicidal Ideation in 2017
- 3% of adults in the United States had thoughts of suicide.
- Thoughts of suicide were highest among adults 18–25 years old.
- 6 million adults reported having serious thoughts about trying to kill themselves.
- 3% of adults in the United States had thoughts of suicide.
- Suicide Attempts in 2017
- 6% of adults in the United States attempted suicide in 2017.
- Suicide attempts were highest among adults 18–25 years old.
- 4 million adults made a nonfatal suicide attempt in the last year.
- 6% of adults in the United States attempted suicide in 2017.
- Suicidal Ideation in 2017
Part 2: Recognize
Secondary Stress: physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged exposure to the distress of others
- Tends to occur when the support someone provides is excessive and prolonged, or if they are the only source of support for a person.
Warning Signs for Suicide
- Change in mood
- Swollen, red, or glassy eyes
- Change in personal hygiene
- Isolating
- Lowered self-worth or confidence
- Change in sleep
- Out-of-character behavior
- Not showing up for obligations
- Relationship difficulties
- Referencing suicide
Protective Factors that Buffer Against Suicide
- Awareness and Knowledge
- Skills
- Access
- Support
- Belonging
Part 3: Respond
Boundaries: limits that we identify in order to set reasonable and safe ways for other people to behave toward us, and how we respond when people cross those limits
- Typically, more helpful boundaries are flexible. You decide what to let in, what to keep out, how to spend your time, and how much support you can provide.
- Consider your own boundaries and the boundaries of the person you are supporting.
- When emotional abuse is occurring, boundaries can be pushed, challenged, or violated.
- “Feeling Manipulated by Suicide Threats?”
- Violence Prevention and Survivor Services
- UHS Survivor Services provides confidential support to UW–Madison student victims/survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking.
- To inquire about setting up an appointment, please email survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu or call 608-265-5600 Option 3.
- Learn more about on-campus and community resources, including medical options, reporting options, population-specific services, and legal services.
- Help Lines and Crisis Lines
- UHS Survivor Services provides confidential support to UW–Madison student victims/survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking.
Respond Checklist
- Tone of voice and body language
- You are not alone.
- Talk to the people in your life
- Ask a help line or crisis line
- UHS 24-hour Crisis Line – 608-265-5600 Option 9
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741-741
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Project Lifeline – 1-866-488-7386
- Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people under 25 years old.
- Text START to 678-678
- TrevorChat
- Trans Lifeline – 1-877-565-8860
- Veterans Crisis Line – 1-800-273-8255 Option 1
- Text 838-255
- Chat online
- Things to Talk About…
- “Are the things that I’m recognizing actually warning signs?”
- “Have you also recognized warning signs in this person?”
- “How should I go about checking in with this person?”
- “Do you want to check-in with this person together?
- Check in
- Name specific warning signs + Ask permission to talk more
- “I’ve noticed recently that you’ve been coming to meetings late and, when you get here, you look like you’ve been crying. Can I ask how you are?”
- Name specific warning signs + Ask permission to talk more
- Use active listening skills
- Attend to the person
- Silence and Minimal Encouragers
- Empathy
- Examples of empathic statements
- Reflections
- Reflections of Content
- “It sounds like you are unsure if you belong here since being on academic probation.”
- Reflections of Emotion
- “It seems like you’re feeling ashamed about being on academic probation.”
- Reflections of Content
- Ask directly about suicide
- Asking directly about suicide reduces stigma, opens up the conversation, and informs how you might Refer the person.
- “Are you thinking about suicide?”
- “Are you having thoughts of suicide?”
- “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
- Asking directly about suicide reduces stigma, opens up the conversation, and informs how you might Refer the person.
Part 4: Refer
Help Lines and Crisis Lines
- UHS 24-hour Crisis Line – 608-265-5600 Option 9
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741-741
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Project Lifeline – 1-866-488-7386
- Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people under 25 years old.
- Text START to 678-678
- TrevorChat
- Trans Lifeline – 1-877-565-8860
- Veterans Crisis Line – 1-800-273-8255 Option 1
- Text 838-255
- Chat online
Campus Mental Health Resources
- University Health Services
- Book an Appointment at MyUHS
- UHS Medical Services – 608-265-5600
- UHS Mental Health Services – 608-265-5600 Option 2
- UHS 24-hour Crisis Line – 608-265-5600 Option 9
- Access Appointment
- Care Management and Community Referrals
- Couple/Partner Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Individual Counseling
- Outreach Mental Health Services
- SilverCloud
Additional Student Support
- Academic Advising
- Advisors are here to help you get the most of your college experience. You can talk about your advisor with a number of things from setting academic, career, and life goals, to connecting with tutors, to understanding university policies and deadlines.
- Dean of Students Office
- Location: 70 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Dr., Madison, WI 53706
- Drop-In Hours:
- Fall and Spring Semesters: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Winter Break and Summer: Monday–Friday, 8:30–11:30 a.m. and 1–4 p.m.
- 608-263-5700
- The Dean of Students Office provides a caring, unique environment for students across campus to seek assistance and support around a number of experiences listed here, including academic issues, bias incidents, and mental health concerns.
- McBurney Disability Resource Center
- Location: 702 W. Johnson St. Suite 2104, Madison, WI 53715
- 608-263-2741
- McBurney Disability Resource Center is the office for students with disabilities and classroom accommodations on the UW–Madison campus. McBurney works collaboratively with students and instructors to provide and support student accommodations.
Immediate Danger
- If you or the student you are supporting is in immediate danger of attempting suicide, call the UHS 24-hour crisis line to speak with a crisis worker about your concerns, to assess safety, and to talk through options for staying alive.
- Call the UHS 24-hour crisis line at 608-265-5600 Option 9
- The crisis line is always available, including weekends, holidays, semester breaks, and all summer.
- The crisis line receives calls from UW–Madison students, as well as family members, partners, friends, roommates, faculty, Housing staff, and other campus community members who are concerned about a UW–Madison student.
- Drop-In to UHS Mental Health Services
- 333 East Campus Mall, 7th floor
- Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Thursdays: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Go to a local Hospital Emergency Room
- UW Hospital
- Meriter Hospital
- Mary’s Hospital
- Call 911
- Call the UHS 24-hour crisis line at 608-265-5600 Option 9
Involving the Police
- Calling 911 and Talking With Police, National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Position Statement 59: Responding to Behavioral Health Crises, Mental Health America
- When to Call 911 in an Urgent Mental Health Situation, Scholars Strategy Network
University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department (UWPD)
- Emergency: 911
- Non-Emergency: 608-264-2677
- Location: 1429 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711
Asking Further about Suicidal Ideation
- The questions below are intended to help someone better understand a person’s experiences of suicidal ideation. As a support person, you are not ever expected to ask these questions. If you are concerned about a peer to the extent that you feel these questions should be asked, call the UHS 24-hour Crisis Line at 608-265-5600 Option 9.
- Ask directly about suicide.
- “Are you thinking about suicide?”
- “Are you having thoughts of suicide?”
- “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
- Ask about a plan to attempt suicide.
- “Have you thought about how you might attempt suicide (kill yourself)? What did you think about?”
- “Have you planned out how you would do it?”
- Ask about the means to attempt suicide.
- “Do have access to (the means the person would use to carry out a suicide attempt according to their plan)?”
- Ask about the person’s intent to attempt suicide.
- “When would you carry out (go through with) this plan? Do you have a day or time in mind?”
Check In Again
- Reference your previous interaction + Ask permission to talk more
- “Hey, I know last time we talked you said you were going to schedule an Access Appointment at UHS. Can I ask how that went?”
- After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department, SAMHSA