Helping Others

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Starting Difficult Conversations

 

Asking about suicide is hard. It can feel daunting and often confusing as when to ask. It is okay to build to this question and our friends at SAMH & United to Prevent Suicide have put together some useful conversations starters that could help in leading us to ask about suicide

 

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“Why don’t we have a coffee and talk about it?”

 

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“I’ve been a bit worried about you"

 

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“You haven’t been yourself lately, is everything alright?

 

 

Don’t tell – ask

 

The best way to help is to ask questions. That way you leave the other person in control.

By asking questions, the person you are talking with finds his or her own answers.

 

Here are some questions which can lead conversations into useful areas:

 

  • When ‘When did you realise?’
  • Where ‘Where did that happen?’
  • What ‘What else happened?’
  • How ‘How did that feel?’

 

All of these questions effectively ask the person you’re talking with to examine, honestly, the problems they’re experiencing.

 

The only question to try and avoid is ‘why?’ – it can sound challenging, and put the other person on the defensive.

 

For more information please see the Art of Conversation booklet.

 

 

 

Asking about suicide is hard. It can feel daunting and often confusing as when to ask. It is okay to build to this question and our friends at SAMH & United to Prevent Suicide have put together some useful conversations starters that could help in leading us to ask about suicide

 

​

 

“Why don’t we have a coffee and talk about it?”

 

​

 

“I’ve been a bit worried about you"

 

​

 

“You haven’t been yourself lately, is everything alright?

 

 

Don’t tell – ask

 

The best way to help is to ask questions. That way you leave the other person in control.

By asking questions, the person you are talking with finds his or her own answers.

 

Here are some questions which can lead conversations into useful areas:

 

  • When ‘When did you realise?’
  • Where ‘Where did that happen?’
  • What ‘What else happened?’
  • How ‘How did that feel?’

 

All of these questions effectively ask the person you’re talking with to examine, honestly, the problems they’re experiencing.

 

The only question to try and avoid is ‘why?’ – it can sound challenging, and put the other person on the defensive.

 

For more information please see the Art of Conversation booklet.

 

 

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