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BUREAUS EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
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Suicide Early Warning Signs

People contemplating suicide often give "warning signs". Unfortunately, too often, their family and friends don’t recognize these warning signs until it is too late. Prevention is the key to stopping law enforcement suicide.  Some of the early warning signs are:

Lack of energy or motivation

Statements about hopelessness

Statements about helplessness

Statements about worthlessness

Talks about suicide

Preoccupation with death

Becomes withdrawn, solitary, shy, and even awkward

Extremely quiet, does not confide in anyone

Is an alcoholic or is turning more and more to alcohol

Suddenly accident prone

Looks very tired or is suffering from overwork

Unable to concentrate

Is more aggressive, impulsive when handling serious calls

Is very proud and unable to deal with frustration

Cries often

Seems agitated or nervous

Combines tranquilizers with alcohol

Has written letters to close friends outlining their wishes if something were to happen to them

Seems to lose their love for their profession and withdraw from the people they are closest to

Has written or rewritten their will

Is disillusioned

Has attempted suicide before

No longer concerned about their physical fitness or physical appearance

Begins to play with their gun, points jokingly at self or others for no reason

Suddenly happier or calmer before death

Gave prized possessions away

 

Those Most At Risk:

Depression

Marital or relationship troubles

Isolation or separation (no support system)

Drinking Problem (especially in first year of sobriety)

Financial difficulties

Illness

Loss of self-image (illegal activities)

Without a job or profession

 

The information in this article was gathered from the book "Death With No Valor", by Robert Douglas and his work with Concerns Of Police Survivors in their training "The Trauma Of Law Enforcement Death".