Crisis Intervention: Helping People who are Depressed or Suicidal

Training Category: People Helping Ministry
 

When problems, loss, tragedy, or stress threaten a person's stability and ability to cope, they can soon feel helpless and hopeless. How do we help people who are depressed or suicidal because of it?
 

What if the person is depressed?

A basic need of someone who is depressed is to find hope. Proverbs 13:12 says "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." Help the person find hope. Often depression comes as a result of pent-up anger or guilt. Someone has said that depression is anger turned inward. Consequently, helping the person properly deal with anger or guilt may lead to the lifting of depression. There may be precipitating events, particularly loss of some sort that a person must learn to deal with. If depression persists, a physical check up should be encouraged as depression may be a result of biological factors. Depression can spiral out of control if a person allows himself to dwell on problems, to withdraw from people, and to break from routine. Help the person come up with a plan of maintaining some of the routine in his life and to accomplish certain basic tasks. Encourage them to maintain their relationship with the Lord and with others regardless of how they feel.

Clicking on the links below will take you to articles on other sites or to one of our affiliate bookstores. While seeking to choose sites and books that are doctrinally sound, the Ministry Tools Resource Center makes no claim to total endorsement of any listing.

Articles:

• 6 Bible Verses On How to Not Be Depressed
• Depression and the Teens You Love
• Depression Treatment
• Helping a Friend Through the Darkness of Depression
• Walking With Students Through Depression
• What do you know about depression?
• What should a Christian do if overwhelmed with depression?
• When We Experience Depression

Books:

• Conquering Depression by Mark Sutton & Bruce Henningan
• Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch
• Happiness is a Choice by Frank Minirth & Paul Meier
• How to Win Over Depression by Tim LaHaye
• New Light on Depression: Help, Hope and Answers for the Depressed and Those Who Love Them by David B. Biebel
• Out of the Cave: Stepping into the Light when Depression Darkens What You See by Chris Hodges
• Stomping Out Depression by Neil T. Anderson & Dave Park (for adolescents)
• The Freedom from Depression Workbook by Les Carter & Frank Minirth
• Unmasking Male Depression by Dr. Archibald D. Hart
• What Do I Do When Teenagers are Depressed and Contemplate Suicide? by Steve Gerali
   
  

What if the person is suicidal?

You need to know your obligations to the person and to the legal system. Determine at what point you need to report a suicidal threat and obtain outside help. Evaluate how lethal and detailed the plan seems to be. Assess if the person has the means of carrying it out. Take even passing comments seriously. When possible you may want to develop a pact with them wherein they are to call you first before making an attempt.

Clicking on the links below will take you to articles on other sites or to one of our affiliate bookstores. While seeking to choose sites and books that are doctrinally sound, the Ministry Tools Resource Center makes no claim to total endorsement of any listing.

Articles:

• Protecting Teenagers from Suicide
• When a Teen is Suicidal (The points in this post could be applied to anyone.)
• What does the Bible say about suicide?
• What is the Christian view of suicide? What does the Bible say about suicide?

Books:

• The Complete Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling: What to Do and Say When It Matters Most! by Norman Wright (includes a couple chapters on suicide)
• Finding Your Way after the Suicide of Someone You Love by David B. Biebel, Suzanne L. Foster
• Grieving a Suicide: A Loved One's Search for Comfort, Answers & Hope by Albert Hsu
• How to be a People Helper by Gary R. Collins (includes a section on suicide)
• My Friend is Struggling With . . . Thoughts of Suicide by Josh McDowell & Ed Steward
• What Do I Do When Teenagers are Depressed and Contemplate Suicide? by Steve Gerali
   
  

In addition to the content in this section, the People Helping Ministry Manual helps you develop a starting point for preventing and preparing people for crisis.