Suicide prevention courses often teach crisis support workers and loved ones to develop a safety plan with their suffering friends or family member. The safety plan is a step-by-step plan with contact information and actions that the suffering individual will take to stay safe when they feel that they are starting to consider suicide.
While I think this is valuable for some people, being someone who was once suicidal, I have trouble understanding the effectiveness of a safety plan. Because the fact of the matter is, if someone truly wants to end their life they will take the actions to do so and disregard the safety plan.
An easy way to understand this is to consider this analogy: A person committed to losing weight disregards eating healthy, in a moment of “feeling like a piece of cake” even when they have a plan to not eat the cake. The difference is suicide is irreversible.
So, here’s what I suggest is more effective to stopping someone commit suicide. It’s a contract that I’ve named the “Promise to live agreement”. This contract is signed by the suicidal person and a witness.
Reasons I suggest a contract is more effective than a safety plan:
- Most people have a moral issue with breaking a contract.
- This agreement is signed by a witness. Most people value what they promise and give their word to.
- The contract stops the person from considering suicide and puts the idea on hold for a period of time. Sometimes telling someone they can’t do something spurs them to want to do it more.
Here is an example of a “Promise to live agreement”
Use this template as a basis and formulate one with your own negotiated stipulations.
PROMISE TO LIVE AGREEMENT
1: PROMISE TO ABSTAIN FROM SUICIDAL ACTION I promise not to take any actions towards ending my life for the next 3 days. Even though, I am in a lot of pain, by initialing this statement I will sustain from taking any harmful actions against myself (or that could endanger others). I will do my best to remember that thoughts and actions are two different things. Although I may experience thoughts of suicide I will not do anything about them.
Initial here: ________
2. PROMISE TO ABSTAIN FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL I understand that suicidal thoughts and my depression can worsen if I abuse substances such as drugs and alcohol. I promise that during over the next 3 days I will abstain from alcohol and drug use. (With the exception of medication that’s been described to treat your illness). I will also not abuse prescription drugs.
Initial here: ________
3. PROMISE TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT During the reading of this book, I will ensure I am in a safe environment. I will remove items myself, or get help from a loved one, to remove all items I could use to hurt myself. This includes: Firearms, knives and blades, ropes, chemicals (including household cleaning products) and large amounts of pills. I will have a loved one monitor and distribute any prescription medicine I need during this time.
Initial here: ________
4. PROMISE TO DISCLOSE DISTRESS IN IMMEDIATE CRISIS If at any moment I feel unable to control my urges, or that my situation worsens during the next 3 days I promise to call 911.
Initial here: ________
Your signature : ________________________Witness:_______________________ Date: _________
Need more information so you can help a loved one who is considering suicide? Purchase this book that will teach you everything you need to know about suicide prevention: http://depression.zone/suicide-prevention-book
Need at least 3 ratings