Category: Front Page News

Members of the Outreach and Education Division within the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Network’s Youth Advisory Board, kicked off their Music Playlist Series with a Self-Care Playlist. The members came together to create a music playlist to listen to whether you are spending an entire day full of self-care practices or simply interested in hearing some new music throughout your daily routine. Self-care is not linear and everyone has their own way they integrate self-help practices into their lives.

“We hope that this music playlist brings you joy and allows you to distress as you do things that ground you. Please feel free to share this playlist with family and friends! We hope you love it just as much as we do.”

Listen to the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2gzaLgX7ChFe1j5iw99FN5?si=ef513f14385a4423

The Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Network (LASPN) Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is an inclusive group of 23 youth, ranging in age from 16 years old to 24, who advocate for improving mental health and well-being and its related social determinants of health for youth countywide.

The youth have received intensive trainings and are supported by vetted adult mentors drawn from the LASPN – mental health professionals, advocates, survivors, providers, researchers, and representatives from various agencies and organizations across Los Angeles County. These adult allies provide support and mentorship to the Youth Advisory Board and pathways to support when dealing with the sensitive topic of mental health and suicide.

Three youth leaders emerged and have been instrumental in founding and leading the LASPN Youth Advisory Board with a special focus on three pillars: Outreach & Engagement, Arts & Social Media and Advocacy & Communication. The LASPN Youth Advisory Board’s official inception was in 2020 but due to the pandemic, actual establishment of the YAB was in 2021.

The youth have developed several videos and participated in engagement activities and events to raise awareness and uplift the crucial role young people play in suicide prevention. Additionally, YAB members have participated in community activities, and as youth content advisors on a curriculum guide for Creative Wellbeing, a healing-informed and mental health promotion approach developed by the Department of Arts & Culture, Department of Mental Health, Office of Child Protection and the Arts for Healing & Justice Network. LASPN youth and mentors will also be taking part in the Department of Arts & Culture’s Healing Centered Engagement (HCE) Initiative created in collaboration with Dr. Shawn Ginwright and the Flourish Agenda to explore the role of arts in HCE and devise an HCE Arts Framework for LA County. 

There will be an opportunity to participate in the Youth Advisory Board in the 2^nd cohort. Be on the lookout for information on how to apply for the LASPN Youth Advisory Board starting mid-March. We will have the application information on this website but will also be pushing out the information on our social media platforms and email distribution list. There will be an application and interview process.

Most of us experience any number of emotions from day to day. Experiencing negative emotions, especially when under stress, is part of the human experience; however, if left unprocessed or unacknowledged, they can cause harm physically and emotionally. Prolonged crises, such as the ones we have experienced due to COVID, and any form of significant life transition can lead to long-term and toxic stress. This type of stress can be especially amplified among people who were already experiencing significant life challenges, chronic health or mental health conditions, and disabilities. 

Research has found that breathing practices are effective at reducing stress, balancing our energy and emotions, and helping us process some of the more challenging feelings that can arise. But incorporating self-care, such as breathing, into our busy lives is easier said than done and may also be particularly challenging for people who have experienced trauma.

Being gentle with ourselves by setting boundaries and limits that support our mental health may be the most important self-care act of all. As author Brianna Wiest says: “Self-care should not be something we resort to because we are so absolutely exhausted that we need some reprieve from our own relentless internal pressure. True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.”

But changing the expectations of ourselves and others takes time and practice. Starting with small actions can be a good way to begin. For example, try out one of the breathing exercises below or mindful breathing, which has been known to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Belly Breathing:

It may sound strange, but many people forget how to breathe properly, using their chest and shoulders to breathe, resulting in short and shallow breaths which can increase stress and anxiety! When you breathe, your belly should expand, involving your diaphragm, a large muscle in your abdomen. This type of breathing is known as diaphragmatic, or belly breathing and can lower stress levels, reduce blood pressure, lower our heart rate, and help us relax. Belly Breathing is at the center of the practice of meditation which is known to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

Download, share and watch the 30-second Belly Breathing Animation, which can be found here: https://www.suicideispreventable.org/social-media.php

Color Breathing

Visualize a color that represents how you want to feel, imagine inhaling that color in. Visualize a color that represents what you want to let go of, imagine exhaling that color out.

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

Otherwise known as “relaxing breath”, 4-7-8 breathing, is a simple breathing exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime to aid in stress reduction, grounding, and even sleep. Inhale for a count of 7, hold for a county of 4, and then exhale for a county of 8!  Download and share the 4-7-8 Breathing Card and Social Media post.

Square Breathing

One of the most common breathing exercises is referred to as square breathing which is the act of breathing in the form of a square! Inhale 2…3…4… hold 2…3…4!  Download and share the Square Breathing Card and Social Media post.

This is the title of the afternoon keynote address that will be delivered by Dr. Mike Anestis on September 25^th as part of the 9^th Annual Suicide Prevention Summit hosted by the Los Angeles County Suicide Prevention Network.  To register click here.

The keynote address will provide the audience with a thorough background on the relationship between firearms and suicide.  The discussion will be data-driven and will establish the magnitude of the relationship between firearms and suicide, will propose a theory-driven rationale for that relationship, and will propose solutions.  Information will be drawn from both military and civilian samples and will cover a range of solutions.

Dr. Mike Anestis is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the director of the Suicide and Dysregulation laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his PhD from Florida State University.  His research focuses on risk factors for suicide, with a particular emphasis on the role of firearms.  Dr. Anestis is the author of over 130 peer reviewed scientific publications as well as the recent book Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic.  Dr. Anestis received the 2018 Edwin Shneidman Award for early career achievement in suicide research from the American Association of Suicidology and is currently the principle investigator on a randomized clinical trial focused on increasing safe storage behavior among firearm owning members of the Mississippi National Guard.

More resources on Means Restriction:

• Anara Guards presentation on Means Restriction presented at the 2018 Suicide Prevention Summit.
• Presentation about Preventing Firearm Suicide delivered by Dakota Jablon from the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence at the June LASPN Quarterly meeting.
• Website dedicated to firearm suicide prevention from the Education Fund to Stop Gun Violence.  Website:  https://efsgv.org/
• California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order.  Website:  https://speakforsafety.org/
• Ask your local pharmacy to include crisis resources on pharmacy bags
• Invite your local pharmacy staff to participate in a suicide prevention gatekeeper training
• Safely dispose of unused or unneeded medications
• Safety store all firearms (gun locks/safes)
• Secure firearms outside of homes for people in distress
• Support local efforts to implement bridge barriers

Have you ever heard the saying “it’s like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?” While a sledgehammer will certainly open the nut, it will also smash it to bits when there are better tools for the job. This points to the issue of how we respond to someone who reveals that they are thinking about suicide.

If you have ever been in this position, you know how difficult it can be. The fear of saying or doing the wrong thing, or not enough, can be overwhelming. The safest response might seem like calling 911. While this is true in some situations, in others a less drastic response may be more helpful.  

Below are some considerations for finding the right tool for the job.  Sometimes the best way to identify what steps to take is to ask the person what they think will help keep them safe.  You can find reassurance in the knowledge that most suicidal crisis last for a brief period of time. Therefore staying with the person (as long as the scene is not unsafe) and connecting them to resources and ongoing support when the situation has calmed down might be the most effective course of action.

When is a call to a crisis line the right tool?

Crisis lines are designed to quickly assess the level of risk in a situation and get the caller to the appropriate services. If you are calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or one of its member crisis centers in California, the call will be answered by someone trained in assessing suicide risk and conducting a phone-based intervention designed to reduce their risk. Many Lifeline/crisis center calls are life-saving interventions, and they are equipped to call 911 on the person’s behalf if they believe a suicide attempt has occurred or the person’s life is in imminent danger.

Crisis lines are useful in a range of situations, from direct intervention to someone in an acute crisis, to calling yourself to talk about how you might help someone you are concerned about. Crisis lines can also help you or the person in crisis to find a mental health provider in your community.

The Suicide Prevention Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255) is available 24/7 and answered by trained counselors who are skilled in intervening with those who are acutely suicidal, as well as individuals who are concerned about someone else.  Chat services are also available online: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/.  Individuals can also text HOME to 741-741.

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline can also connect callers to the Spanish language network through a prompt or by calling directly (1-888-628-9454).  There is also an option for the deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-799-4889. Callers to the Lifeline can also choose a prompt to connect with the Veterans Crisis Line, which can also be reached by texting 838255 or through an online chat service. 

When is a call to 911 the right tool?

Calling 911 connects the situation to first responders, such as law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs. If you suspect that someone is about to or has already harmed themselves and requires medical attention, or if you are in danger, this is the right tool. 

But it may not be the right tool in every circumstance.  More often than not other tools in the community can help avoid the potential trauma of a 911 response. For example, crisis hotline staff have the skills to assess and intervene to help someone who is acutely suicidal.  Imagine someone being in emotional pain and rather than emotionally stabilizing on the phone or in-person with a caring and compassionate, friend, family member or mental health professional, they are potentially hand-cuffed and transported to the nearest Emergency Room in a police car, only to experience long wait times or hold for psychiatric assessment.   This experience might deter them from seeking the appropriate help later.

How do I know if I should be worried about someone?

Becoming familiar with warning signs and resources, being willing to listen, and ready to take steps to reduce access to lethal means are tools you can always have in your toolbox.

Know the Signs: Pain isn’t always obvious, but most suicidal people show some signs that they are thinking about suicide. The signs may appear in conversations, through their actions, or in social media posts. If you observe one or more warning signs of suicide, especially if the behavior is new, increased, or seems related to a painful event, loss, or change, step in or speak up.

Find the Words: “Are you thinking of ending your life?” Few phrases are as difficult to say to a friend or loved one. But when it comes to suicide prevention, none are more important. Visit the “Find the Words” section of www.suicideispreventable.org for suggestions to get the conversation started. Having the conversation is less about persuading someone not to end their life, and about showing that you are concerned, helping the person to find hope and remember their reasons for living.

Reach Out: You are not alone in helping someone in crisis. There are many resources available to assess, treat, and intervene. Crisis lines, counselors, intervention programs and more are available to you as well as to the person experiencing the emotional crisis. Visit the Resources page to learn about local resources.

Instinct and compassion: two tools you can always count on

There is no foolproof process for knowing exactly the right thing to do. Trust your instinct if it tells you something is wrong. Leading with compassion can help create safe spaces for people to talk about their pain and this is one of the most helpful things you can do.

Many people who have lost someone to suicide don’t feel the same compassion from others that those who have lost a loved on another way experience. Some of this is because people are uncomfortable talking about suicide. Consider reaching out to someone who has lost a friend or loved one to suicide. Ask them about how the person they lost lived rather than focusing on the way they died.

The more we talk about suicide and suicide prevention, the more we can reduce the stigma around the subject and infuse our communities with hope and healing.

Additional Resources:

Reference the UB School of Social Work’s Self Care site which provides a Self-Care Starter Kit with valuable resources.

Visit the Mental Health America website for tools and tips at https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/ten-tools.

For additional self-care resources visit the Self Care section of the 2019 Each Mind Matters Suicide Prevention Week Toolkit at https://www.eachmindmatters.org/spw2019/

Love the person you are – figure out what makes you happy and do more of it!