I wanted to talk a little more today about a study which – if the findings are replicatable – could go a long way towards proving that the best way to prevent suicide may be simply showing that you are someone who cares.
The study itself took place in Australia and was run by Dr. Gregory Carter of the University of Newcastle. Carter and his team sent suicide-attempt survivors a postcard eight times over a 12 month period.
The postcard didn’t say much, and it wasn’t fancy. On the front, it had a cartoon dog with a letter in its mouth. On the back was this message: “Dear X, It has been a short time since you were here at the Newcastle Mater Hospital and we hope things are going well for you. If you wish to drop us a note we would be happy to hear from you.” the card also had contact information for two doctors and the hospital.
The results? The group who received the card showed a 54% reduction in future suicide attempts, but the effort worked only for women.
Intuitively, this makes sense, of course. It’s no surprise that social contact and relationships are a preventative factor when it comes to suicides. And showing someone that you care can, of course, make a huge difference. How many times have you heard of a case where someone came back from the edge simply because there was one person who cared deeply about them?
This isn’t a silver bullet, of course. But it does reiterate a basic and sensible human truth: We can pull people back from the edge if we just show them that they care, that they matter, and that there are ways to get help if they are feeling down.
I’d also argue that this shows that all of us have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention and helping people get through their darkest moments. To be clear, again, none of us are responsible for someone who ends their own life – but all of us can be part of a solution. Care for each other. Follow up with friends who are showing warning signs of depression or suicide. Ask if they are okay. You don’t have to have the solution. But just being a caring human can, apparently, go a long way towards preventing someone from taking their own life.
Mike Schlossberg - Author 