The ability to predict suicidal behavior is still relatively poor. It is difficult to distinguish those likely to attempt suicide from those who will complete suicide. However, in approximately 80% of cases, young people who complete suicide have communicated suicidal thoughts and feelings and their intent to kill themselves to someone prior to the suicidal act.

Although it is not possible to prevent every suicide, it is possible to recognize changes in behavior and the existence of common crisis that may precipitate suicidal behavior. Those who are likely to come into contact with young people can help. Knowledge of the warning signs and risk factors may help people to intervene in the potentially destructive process in which a young person is enveloped and take action to alleviate it.

The more of the observable signs, the more stressful episodes and chronic life stresses that a young person shows, the more at risk of suicidal behavior they generally are. It is important to note the duration and intensity of these factors and to consider any changes in observable behavior in the light of the individual concerned rather than necessarily comparing one person with another. Depressed mood and drug or alcohol abuse is a particularly deadly combination.

For more information on the warning signs, prevention and intervention, visit the ACE-network library.

There is a cost to caring.

Professionals who listen to the stories of fear, pain and suffering of others may feel similar fear, pain and suffering because they care. Professionals especially vulnerable to Compassion Fatigue (CF) include emergency care workers, counselors, mental health professionals, medical professionals, clergy, advocate volunteers, and human service workers. If you ever feel as though you are losing your sense of self to the clients you serve- you may be suffering from CF.

The concept of Compassion Fatigue emerged only in the last several years in the professional literature. It represents the cost of caring about and for traumatized people. Compassion Fatigue is the emotional residue of exposure to working with the suffering, particularly those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events. Professionals who work with people, particularly people who are suffering, must contend with not only the normal stress or dissatisfaction of work, but also with the emotional and personal feelings for the suffering.

Compassion Fatigue is NOT “burnout”. Burnout is associated with stress and hassles involved in your work; it is very cumulative, is relatively predictable and frequently a vacation or change of job helps a great deal. Compassion Fatigue is very different. Compassion Fatigue is a state of tension and preoccupation with the individual or cumulative trauma of clients as manifested in one or more ways including reexperiencing the traumatic event, avoidance/numbing of reminders of the event, and persistent arousal. Although similar to critical incident stress (being traumatized by something you actually experience or see),with CF you are absorbing the trauma through the eyes and ears of your clients. It can be thought of as secondary post-traumatic stress.

There are human costs associated with CF. Job performance goes down, mistakes go up. Morale drops and personal relationships are affected- peoples home lives start to deteriorate, personality deteriorates and eventually it can lead to overall decline in general health.

ACE-Network offers an excellent resource DVD on Compassion Fatigue.