Telling a Story Can Prevent Suicide

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Suicide is on the rise across the country. People often see signs of suicidal ideation in the behaviors and words of their friends and loved ones but don’t know what to say or how to broach the topic. Asking the person if they are thinking about hurting themselves is the most direct way to confront the issue, but this approach is double-edged. You may get an honest answer, but the fact that you even asked the question puts a person who is not suicidal in a defensive posture, which can harm personal relationships.

Contemplating suicide is like living in a house built with two-way mirrors. The person inside the house only sees themselves and can’t find the exit. Conversely, people on the outside can see into the house, but they don’t know how to open the door that is locked from the inside. When a person is trapped inside a mirrored house their suicidal thoughts whirl faster than a clothes washer on spin cycle. The best way to interrupt the suicidal ideation cycle is to introduce new ideas. New ideas create hope, and hope is a life raft for suicidal people.

Nobody wants to be told that they are broken. Our defense mechanisms prevent us from seeing our flaws, and an indirect approach may be a more effective way to communicate with a person you suspect is considering suicide. The added benefit of an indirect approach is that if you are wrong, your relationship with that person will not be harmed.

Tell a story

Telling a story is an effective way to introduce new ideas indirectly. People don’t like being told that they are broken, but most people will listen to stories about other people who are broken. Stories must have a moral and a course of action. The moral of the story in suicidal situations is there is always hope no matter how bad a person thinks their circumstances are. The course of action is to talk to a professional who can guide you through a crisis or, at least, talk to someone you trust about your state of mind.

If you suspect a loved one or friend is contemplating suicide, you could tell a story at an appropriate moment during a casual conversation. For example, last week I saw a friend of mine whom I haven’t seen for ten years. We had coffee and talked for a long time. During our conversation, he told me that he went through a tough time with a broken relationship a few years back. It got so bad that he contemplated suicide. He was in a dark place for a long time. He finally confided to a close friend about his situation. She told him that she went through a similar situation and refused to get help until it was almost too late. She told my friend that she felt like a tornado ripped through her life and destroyed everything. The loss was devastating. She finally went to a therapist who gave her hope of building a better life. She lost everything, but the hope of rebuilding a new life remained undamaged. She is now happily married in a healthy relationship.

My friend confided that his friend gave him hope. He sought out a therapist who guided him through the rough times. He learned that life is worth living no matter how things turn out. He’s very glad he confided in a close friend and got help from a therapist. The therapist’s words opened the gates to a new and improved life. My friend is now in a healthy relationship and is very happy.

Telling a story is an effective way to introduce new ideas to a person contemplating suicide. New ideas can break the cycle of despair. Storytelling can also be used in a variety of situations when you want to confront a friend or loved one with a sensitive topic. Storytelling is a powerful way to communicate without damaging a relationship. If you think a person may be contemplating suicide, tell them a story that may save their life.