Living Works Training

TASC

T - Tune In

A - Ask About Sucide

S- State that suicide is serious

C - Connect

Tune-In

When you notice or sense that a person may need help, focus your attention on them. Tune-In and ask yourself: Could their struggle be about suicide?

This first skill focuses on how to Tune-In. Pay attention and notice what you hear, sense, feel, see, or learn about. Consider that when a person has painful experiences, they may need help as their thoughts might be on suicide.

A person who feels a sense of loss, helplessness, or hopelessness may be thinking about suicide. Take time to follow your instincts.

Notice when someone needs help and focus your attention on whether their thoughts and experiences could be about suicide. Tuning in can lead to help and safety rather than suicide.

Sometimes people ask for help directly, but more often, they will show us that they need help through things they do, say, show, or describe.

Actions you might see:

• Personality or behavior changes • Withdrawing or isolating • Substance use/abuse • Moodiness • Behaving in ways that are unusual • Giving away possessions

Talk you might hear:

• Death or suicide • Big problems • Not caring • Not having purpose • Being alone • Escaping • Being better off dead

Feelings you might sense

• Sad or depressed • Hopeless or helpless • Guilt or shame • Numb

Life situations you might be aware of:

• Abuse or violence • Death or loss • Relationship problems • Major life changes • Painful events

Ask about suicide

After you have tuned in and begun wondering whether there are thoughts of suicide, Ask clearly, directly, and calmly. An example of asking might be: “You seem to be having a difficult time in life. I wonder, are you thinking about suicide?” This is clear and direct and cannot be mistaken for any other meaning. It is also important to Ask about suicide in a way that is non-judgmental. That is, where you show that you want to hear the answer. Asking about suicide gives the person with thoughts of suicide permission to talk about their thoughts. Up until now, this person may not have felt that they could talk about the pain they were in.

State that suicide is serious

After asking about suicide, you may learn how suicide thoughts came to be on their mind. In that discussion, you may also learn how or when they thought about suiciding. State back to them all you have heard them say about suicide. Let the person know that you believe that any suicide thoughts are serious and connecting to help to be safe from suicide is important.

Connect

Connecting the person with thoughts of suicide to a helping resource who knows suicide first-aid skills supports safety. Suicide is always serious. Once we have heard enough of the conversation to understand and State the seriousness of suicide, we need to create a connection to a helping resource that can help the person to be safe from suicide. Connecting the person with thoughts of suicide to a helping resource who supports safety from suicide is important. Make the connection to a safety helper as soon as possible. Do not put this off. Do not leave a person with suicide thoughts alone. Getting help to be safe shows how seriously we take their thoughts of suicide.