The University of Memphis hosted a suicide prevention training class in the University Center Poplar Room on Wednesday afternoon, sponsored by the Student Counseling Center, teaching the QPR method of suicide prevention.
QPR, an acronym for “Question, Persuade and Refer,” are the three steps that the training is built on. The purpose of this training is not to teach others not to act as a counselor for a suicidal person, but rather to offer hope through positive action.
The course began with some sobering statistics, which quickly made it clear how many people not only suffer from suicidal thoughts, but how many of us are affected by the suicide of others, and how each of us can lend a hand in preventing it.
“Suicide is the third leading cause of death in ages 15-24, and the second leading cause of death for college students, which is why there’s such a big push to teach QPR,” said Dr. Lisa Winborn, a Counseling Center staff member and the instructor of the course. “I think due to mental health in general having a stigma, it is hard to talk about, which is why we’re teaching QPR across the state. We want to start a dialogue.”
The process begins with questioning the person about their mental health, specifically in a non-judgmental way. The goal of this is to show others care about their well-being and want them here. For many, the hardest part of suicide prevention is wanting to be there for someone who is clearly struggling, yet not knowing how to approach the subject of suicide.
“I’ve had personal experience with friends who have attempted or threatened suicide, and I just want to be a person who can help, whoever it is,” said sophomore psychology major Kyle Weers.
The second step of the QPR method is to persuade. This is not intended to talk the person out of their suicidal thoughts, but rather to encourage them to seek help and to persuade them to see that what they perceive as an insolvable problem can be managed without ending one’s life.
The final step is a referral, and this goes beyond just providing an individual with the suicide hotline number. It is stated that the best referral is when one takes the individual to a mental health provider, and stay and talk with them afterward to see how well their needs were met. This personal connection is key and helps show a suicidal individual that someone cares.
At the end of the training, those in attendance left with new knowledge of how to help loved ones who are struggling. For some, this is why they came to the class, to begin with.
“I was recommended by my job, but I chose to come because anytime there’s a training or education on suicide prevention, l like to go,” said Montel Epperson, a clinical mental health graduate student. "If you learn more about suicide, you can help save someone’s life, so the more I learn about it, the more I can encourage further conversation and education.”
The university will host two more QPR training this semester, one on March 19, and the final one on April 8. Further information can be found on the university’s Counseling Center's website.
