‘Embrace the awkward’
Members of the Butler County Suicide Coalition are trying to get as many people trained in QPR as they can, mimicking the idea of training people in CPR so that no matter where a person in crisis is, someone in their vicinity will know how to help them.
The coalition is hosting QPR, or Question, Persuade, Refer, trainings this week to teach people how to ask someone if they are contemplating suicide and ways to tackle that conversation if encountered. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, about 25 people attended a training at Butler County Human Services, where they were walked through methods of how to address suicide.
“Like with CPR, it’s important to get the word out to as many people as possible about the ways we can talk about suicide,” said Josh Novak, a member of the suicide coalition.
Novak, who is also dean of students at Butler County Community College, told the class Wednesday that he uses the mantra “Embrace the awkward,” to open conversations with someone he suspects may be contemplating suicide.
Throughout the presentation Wednesday, he and Amy Cirelli, mental health specialist with Butler County Human Services and co-chairwoman of the suicide coalition, shared the statistics of suicide, warning signs that someone may be at-risk and how to address a person displaying warning signs.
Novak said it never hurts to ask someone if they are contemplating suicide, especially if they are experiencing depression; if they say something that could be referencing ending their life; or if they even joke about the matter. He told the people in the room that if they notice someone displaying signs of suicide, they should do their best to openly ask them about it, without judgment.
“Being open about it is one way we think we can help,” Novak said. “Our mission is to empower folks that there is help out there.”
The class also debunked some myths about suicide, including the idea that introducing the topic to an at-risk individual is a bad move. Cirelli said a person struggling will likely want to talk about what they are going through. Additionally, Cirelli and Novak said the demographic of people that completes suicide at the highest rate are elderly men, who may experience new feelings of loneliness.
“I like that we’re getting the word out,” Cirelli said about the myths and facts of suicide.
The training also provided resources for people to refer to when speaking with someone about suicide. Namely, the 988 call line, which connects people to agencies that can help them in a mental health crisis.
The Butler County Suicide Coalition has a training Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA in Cranberry Township. Cirelli said the coalition also has led trainings at area high schools and churches.
“I want to do more,” Cirelli said. “We have gotten a good turnout … People can call us, and we’ll come to you when you want a training.”
The training took about two hours and concluded with a role-playing scenario where participants practiced what they learned during the session.
Novak said he was happy to see a full class, and that more people learning these strategies could lead to deceased suicides in years to come.
“We find that problems don’t solve themselves,” Novak said. “Whether it’s college students or senior citizens, the ability to talk openly about it, we’re empowering people to do that.”
