Get a printable version of the Co-Workers page. (PDF)

You will need Adobe Acrobat to open this document. Download a free copy.

• The Role of Co-Workers in Preventing Suicide
• Recognizing the Warning Signs
• Responding to the Warning Signs
• Seeking Professional Help
• If a Suicide Happens
• Resources
  • Resources for Co-Workers
  • Resources for Locating Mental Health Services
  • General Resources on Suicide and Suicide Prevention

Suspecting that a co-worker is considering ending his or her life can be frightening and confusing. You may not know when you should become involved in the problems of someone who is not a family member or close friend. You may be unsure of what you can really do to help someone with emotional difficulties or feel uncertain whether your co-worker is actually in serious trouble. Being wrong could be embarrassing. But being right could save a life. This publication will help you recognize and help co-workers who may be considering suicide.

Each year, more than 30,000 Americans take their own lives. An additional 500,000 Americans visit emergency rooms for injuries related to suicide attempts. A large number of suicides and suicide attempts are related to treatable emotional conditions including depression and other mood disorders as well as alcohol and drug abuse. People often want to conceal their suicidal thoughts, depression, or alcohol and drug abuse. They may be embarrassed by these problems or fear that public disclosure will hurt their careers - although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination in employment because of mental impairment.

People who are in danger of suicide often display warning signs. You may be in a good position to recognize these signs in the people with whom you work - even if they are trying to conceal their problems. You see co-workers on a regular basis and know how they talk, act, and react to stress in the workplace. You can recognize changes in their behavior, personality, or mood. Such changes may be a proverbial "cry for help." Signs that a suicidal crisis is imminent can include:

• Talking about suicide or death.
• Making statements like "I wish I were dead" or "I'm going to end it all".
• Less direct verbal cues, including "What's the point of living?" "Soon you won't have to worry about me" and "Who cares if I'm dead, anyway?".
• Uncharacteristically isolating themselves from others in the workplace.
• Expressing feelings that life is meaningless or hopeless.
• Giving away cherished possessions.
• A sudden and unexplained improvement in mood after being depressed or withdrawn.
• Neglect of appearance and hygiene.
• Sudden unexplained deterioration of work performance or productivity.

You should respond to warning signs that a co-worker may be thinking of suicide. If you are comfortable speaking with this person, you should ask the difficult questions that can help you understand that person's state-of-mind and intentions. Don't be afraid to approach the issue directly and just ask: "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" or "Do you feel like you want to die?" If their response gives any indication that they have been considering suicide or having suicidal thoughts, ask them to find help immediately. Offer to accompany them to your company's employee assistance program (EAP) and make an appointment with a counselor. If your company does not have an EAP, offer to help them find another source of mental health counseling. More information on how to find such counseling is provided below. You can also suggest they call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Lifeline provides crisis counseling and referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you think a person is in immediate danger, do not leave him or her alone until you have found help. This may require mobilizing other co-workers or the person's friends or family. If a crisis seems imminent, accompany your co-worker to an emergency room or community mental health crisis center. If your co-worker is unwilling to seek help or is uncooperative or combative, call 911 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Tell the dispatcher that you are concerned that the person with you "is a danger to themselves," or "they cannot take care of themselves." These phrases will alert the dispatcher that there is an immediate threat. Do not hesitate to make such a call if you suspect someone may be on the verge of harming him or herself.

Some of your co-workers may be personal friends. You may maintain a more professional relationship with others. And some of your relationships with co-workers may be strained or even antagonistic. If your relationship with a co-worker who may be thinking about suicide is such that you do not want to talk to him or her about these issues, express your concern to someone else - perhaps a colleague who is friendly with that person or a member of the human resources department or employee assistance program (if you have one). If you need help in deciding who can help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

http://ada.gov/
A U.S. Department of Justice website providing information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This website includes guidelines, documents, and other resources concerning compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The U.S. Department of Justice also operates a toll-free ADA Information Line for employers, employees, and others needing information and assistance. It can be reached at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY).

http://www.eapassn.org/public/providers/
A database of employee assistance program (EAP) service providers which is searchable by state and specialty. This resource is a project of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association.

http://www.opm.gov/Employment_and_Benefits/WorkLife/OfficialDocuments/handbooksguides/Trauma/index.asp
by Mary Tyler. Washington DC: Office of Personnel Management, 2003. This U.S. Government publication contains guidance on anticipating and reacting to traumatic events in the workplace, including suicides, assaults, and natural disasters. Chapters include "How to Listen to Someone Who is Hurting" and "Supervising an Employee with Suicidal Concerns."

http://www.nmha.org/workplace/index.cfm
This National Mental Health Association website provides materials and resources for employers wishing to promote mental health in the workplace. These resources include a "Promoting Mental Health in the Workplace" brochure focusing on why and how to do this, a brochure on "What You Need to Know: Returning to Work - Information for Reservists and Members of the National Guard and Their Employers", the "Mind Your Health Workplace Kit" (a mental health worksite campaign kit available at a nominal cost), and other resources on stress, anxiety, and the connections between mental and physical health.

http://www.workplacementalhealth.org/
The mission of the National Partnership for Workplace Mental Health is to develop and support educational efforts focusing on better understanding of the benefits to a mentally healthy workforce, early recognition of mental disorders, effective treatment, and appropriate access to quality mental health care. It is a program of the American Psychiatric Foundation in collaboration with the American Psychiatric Association. The National Partnership's website includes resources on workplace stress management programs, depression, dealing with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Mental Health Works Online, a free quarterly publication about mental health in the workplace.

http://www.valueoptions.com/suicide_prev/html%20pages/Support.htm
This web site was designed by ValueOptions (a managed care provider) to help employers create a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for the workplace. It includes materials for senior management, articles, tip sheets, posters, banner graphics, a self-scoring quiz, and sample public education email messages.

Bureau of Primary Health Care Service Delivery Sites (http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/) A nationwide directory of free or low-cost mental health services.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) (http://www.dbsalliance.org) A patient-directed organization focusing on depression and bipolar disorder. The DBSA website includes resources that can be used to locate professional help or support groups, a wide selection of educational brochures on depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide prevention, and an online bookstore. The DBSA supports more than 1,000 peer-led support groups across the nation. These support groups can be located by using DBSA's website or calling (800) 826-3632.

National Mental Health Information Center (http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/) Information on mental health and recovery for professionals and the general public. This website includes:

• a Mental Health Services Locator featuring state directories of mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities and mental health services
• Consumer/Survivor Publications (in the Publications menu at http://nmhicstore.samhsa.gov/publications/browse.asp).

NAMI (http://www.nami.org) A nonprofit grassroots self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe and persistent mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic and other severe anxiety disorders, autism and pervasive developmental disorders, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. NAMI has local and state affiliates that can provide support and education in every state. NAMI also provides information and referrals through its Information Helpline which can be reached at (800) 950-NAMI (6264) or (888) 344-6264 (TTY).

National Mental Health Association (NMHA) (http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm) A nonprofit organization addressing mental health and mental illness. Information available on the NMHA website includes fact sheets on depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide; FAQs for consumers of mental health services; and a list of local affiliates who can be of assistance in finding mental health services in your area.

National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse (http://www.mhselfhelp.org) A consumer-run national technical assistance center serving the mental health consumer movement. Among the resources available on the Clearinghouse Web site is a directory of mental health services that have significant consumer input (that is, input from people who use mental health services).

Ulifeline.org (http://www.ulifeline.org) is a web-based resource created by the Jed Foundation to provide students with a non-threatening and supportive link to their college's mental health center as well as important mental health information. Students are able to download information about various mental illnesses, ask questions, make appointments, and seek help anonymously via the Internet. Resources offered on Ulifeline.org include a customized version of Go Ask Alice! that allows students to have virtually any mental health question answered 24 hours a day; a mental health and drug information library that features consumer health information from Harvard Medical School; and the Duke Diagnostic Psychiatry Screening Program, which allows the Ulifeline user to be screened for different mental disorders. While this screening is not meant to take the place of an evaluation by a mental health professional, a positive result suggests that the student would benefit from comprehensive mental health screening.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (http://www.sprc.org/). The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) provides prevention support, training, and materials to strengthen suicide prevention efforts. Among the resources found on its website is the SPRC Library Catalog (http://library.sprc.org/), a searchable database containing a wealth of information on suicide and suicide prevention, including publications, peer-reviewed research studies, curricula, and web-based resources. Many of these items are available online.

American Association of Suicidology (http://www.suicidology.org/). The American Association of Suicidology is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. It promotes research, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers and serves as a national clearinghouse for information on suicide.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org). The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is dedicated to advancing our knowledge of suicide and our ability to prevent it. AFSP's activities include supporting research projects; providing information and education about depression and suicide; promoting professional education for the recognition and treatment of depressed and suicidal individuals; publicizing the magnitude of the problems of depression and suicide and the need for research, prevention, and treatment; and supporting programs for suicide survivor treatment, research, and education.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/). The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), located at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a valuable source of information and statistics about suicide, suicide risk, and suicide prevention. To locate information on suicide and suicide prevention, scroll down the left-hand navigation bar on the NCIPC website and click on "Suicide" under the "Violence" heading.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/). The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides immediate assistance to individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider through a toll-free telephone number: (800) 273-TALK (8255). Technical assistance, training, and other resources are available to the crisis centers and mental health service providers that participate in the network of services linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (http://www.spanusa.org). Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA) is the nation's only suicide prevention organization dedicated to leveraging grassroots support among suicide survivors (those who have lost a loved one to suicide) and others to advance public policies that help prevent suicide.