To ask if you would approach someone ***trigger warning: contains discussion about suicide***

[Hopingforthebest54]

Who was in public place attempting suicide. I know a young man in my local area attempted suicide in a public place today. It’s been playing on my mind a lot as I feel so sad for him. I would definitely stop and help a person in distress.

This probably needs a trigger warning for suicide.

I’d call the police as I’d be terrified of making matters worse.

No but I would call the police

Yes. I did a suicide first aid course and we role played how we would do this.

Absolutely not. I’d ring the police I think.

Well it depends exactly what they were doing as to weather i'd call the police first or speak to them first. But i would do both in one order or the other.

Yes, I'd try and help.

Yea definitely I’ve been there myself.

Yes definitely I’d talk to them for sure. I’ve been in that place myself and had the help so I’d repay the favour.

Yes, we did as children and also ran to the nearest house to ask an adult for help.

Call the police. They have training and resources for this whereas a by-passer might inadvertently say or do the wrong thing with terrible consequences they end up having to live with.

Depends. Sometimes it may not be safe to help so it would depend on the circumstances

Of course I would phone the police regardless though, I wouldn't just walk by

I’d like to think I would. To be honest I’d probably freeze and not be sure what to do. I witnessed an accident once and despite having first aid training, my mind just went blank. Luckily there were other people around who dealt with the situation. I think a lot of people would be afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing and making it worse.

SnowFields Never been in the situation where I’ve done anything publicly but wouldn’t waiting for the police make it too late? Or do they come out on an emergency call out?

This might interest you
www.prevent-suicide.org.uk/training-courses/asist-applied-suicide-interventions-skills-training/

It would depend on a lot of things.. If I had my young children with me I would xontact emergency services .. If I had my eldest I'd have him ring 999 while I talked to them.

However if they had a weapon of any sort absolutely not. 999 from a distance i could observe from until help arrived

I think it depends on the situation. If the person had a weapon of some kind I would keep my distance and call the police.

I would probably try. I know there have been other situations, thankfully not suicide related, where I've stepped in while others stayed out of it. So I know I could, but it would depend on their method I think. I'd at least try to distract them long enough for professional help to arrive.

Yes. This is one end of what I do for a living. Strange job really!

@Covid5541

SnowFields Never been in the situation where I’ve done anything publicly but wouldn’t waiting for the police make it too late? Or do they come out on an emergency call out?

Call 999 and the operator will send out what’s appropriate and also talk you through what you can do - directing to where needed could be enough to make a big difference.

I've done Mental Health First Aid Training and have dealt with people talking about suicide as part of my job. I also lost a friend to suicide.

It's tough. I'd do whatever I felt I could in the circumstances.

Yes, I would, and have helped people more than once who were at that point, although not complete strangers. I absolutely wouldn't judge anyone who would rather not intervene though, and can understand why someone would not want to intervene. I've done the Suicide First Aid course in my job and it's been invaluable. There were 2 occasions where someone who I was in contact with through work got in touch with me - one called me from a motorway bridge and one called me from their way to the railway cutting, and both managed to survive and are doing well now as far as I know.

Yes, but I work with clients with MH issues and am trained in suicide interventions and suicide awareness.

Yes I have done. I couldn't call the police because I was on the tube platform underground late at night so I didn't have phone signal.
The man was cutting and with every train that came in I was in absolute fear that he was about to do something terrible, but I would have had to leave him and run all the way upstairs to seek help, so I didn't know what else to do except keep him talking. In the end he got on a train and said he was going home. I never knew what happened after that but I replayed it in my mind for years after.