Sew a Safety Net: Suicide Prevention, number 7

In an emergency, contact:

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Psychiatric hospital walk-in clinic
Hospital emergency room
Urgent care center/clinic
Call 911

Suicide.

Suicide prevention.

Friend and colleague Sara Lund recently listed 10 things each of us can do that will help save lives. It’s with her gracious permission that I share them with you here.

We’re going to take this list slowly.

Please read, absorb, apply as needed and then repeat as needed.

Please. —

7. Sew a safety net.

I don’t sew (just ask my grandma). But I do know how to ensure my loved ones who are at high risk for killing themselves have a safety net. We all need a safety net, people and a plan in place to protect us and keep us safe.

A safety net means a clear way of being connected to others who care. It’s often informal, but it can be recorded in a contract, promising that if thoughts of self-harm persist, then others will be notified. My brother promises to call his psychiatrist, and to go to the hospital if he is feeling at risk of killing himself.