Individual Strategies To Reduce Risk Factors
- Reduce time spent unoccupied
- Increase connection with community and family
- Become familiar with who is available to assist in your community – elders, respected community members, police, ambulance
- Increase sense of responsibility for impact of their suicide on others
- Organise the presence of a significant other adult for a young person, or a spouse or partner
- Increase personal resilience
- Enhance problem solving skills - acknowledge suicide is never the best option
- Strengthen the belief that suicidal thoughts are a risk to life
- Improve physical and mental health
- Strong spiritual or religious faith[1] or a sense of meaning and purpose to life is protective
- Remove any means that can be used for self-harm
[1] De Leo, D., Hickey, P. A., Neulinger, K., & Cantor, H. (2001). Ageing and suicide. Canberra, Australia: Department of Health and Aged Care.