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In Episode 28: Veterans & Suicide our guest, Brent Arnspiger, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the VA in Houston, spoke about preventing Veteran suicides by using a screener.  The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener (C-SSRS) is a proven way to recognize suicide risk. This screener can be life-saving and has been adopted by various groups. What is the Columbia Screener? The C-SSRS is a series of questions that can be

If you listened to Episode 27: “Is Suicide Contagious?“ you know that media coverage of suicides increases the risk of others making suicide attempts.  In today’s internet environment, though, the relationship between social media and suicide may be even more important to consider. Sharing Suicidal Content We know that social media and suicide contagion are connected.  Persons who are contemplating suicide are apt to post their thoughts on social media.  Think of it as the

In Episode 26: Myth BUSTED: They’re Not “Really” Suicidal, we discuss how dangerous it is to be skeptical when someone mentions they’ve been suicidal. If you are wrong, the consequences can be deadly.  It is true, though, people are more likely to give hints at thoughts of suicide rather than to directly threaten it.  When people make comments about suicide, they are often not taken seriously.  This is in spite of the fact that: Suicide is the

In Episode 25: “Breakups & Suicide” we explore the connections between the end of a romantic relationship and suicide. Unfortunately, breakups are a common trigger for suicide. It doesn’t matter who you are, male or female, gay or straight–breakups are universally challenging.     Women Are Often More Social People enter relationships for many different reasons. Research suggests that women particularly seek relationships for emotional intimacy and deep sharing of feelings. Furthermore, women are more likely

If you listened to our episodes on First Responders & Suicide, Part I and Part II , you heard us talk about the difficult behavioral health challenges facing firefighters, police, and EMS workers.  In this blog we will discuss mental health resources to assist First Responders in coping with those challenges.  Employee Assistance Programs Most First Responders are employees of local or state governments (e.g., counties, cities, states).  Typically, they have access to Employee Assistance