The first Friday of June is designated as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Firearms kill nearly 50,000 people in America every year. Although homicides are often more high-profile, guns are the leading method of suicide in our country. At Cottonwood, in Tucson, Arizona, we want to help people stay safe during times of crisis by providing information on how to protect suicidal people from guns.
Take All Threats Seriously
One of the most important things you can do to prevent suicides, by firearms or any other method, is to listen when people make statements about wanting to die or end their lives. People may sometimes say these things as a joke or out of frustration, but it is better to show concern and clarify their meaning than to simply assume that they don’t really mean it. If you ask questions and learn that someone does plan to kill themselves and has a plan for how they would do it, the best course of action is to call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room. If they don’t have a specific plan but are having thoughts of suicide, help them contact the 988 Crisis Line by calling or texting 988.
Understanding Lethality
If someone you know seems depressed or expresses thoughts of suicide, it is important to reduce or eliminate their access to the intended means of suicide, especially if the intended method is a gun. Crisis counselors are trained to ask people who express suicidal thoughts if they have considered how they might kill themselves. It may seem like a morbid question, but there are reasons for asking. There are different ways that people may try to end their lives. In some cases, even after a person has begun a suicide attempt, if the person receives medical care quickly, it is possible to prevent their death. Suicide attempts that are made with firearms are not usually able to be reversed, making this the most lethal type of attempt.
How to Reduce Firearm Access
Even if a suicidal person does not say they plan to shoot themselves, if they have access to a gun, it’s still a good idea to make a plan for restricting their access. People who are suicidal can be impulsive sometimes, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Option 1: Get rid of the gun(s). One of the safest options is often to sell or donate any firearms the suicidal person would have access to, in case they have any future relapses.
- Option 2: Store gun(s) and ammunition somewhere else. If it is not possible or desirable to get rid of the gun(s) completely, the next safest option is typically to store the firearms and ammo in a location where the person does not live or work. It is better still if the person who is suicidal does not know where they are being stored. Some law enforcement agencies and gun ranges are able to store guns on their premises for safekeeping. If there is a friend or family member who has a secure method available, they may also be able to store the firearms and ammo.
- Option 3: Secure the gun(s) within the home. In cases where the firearms must remain in the home, such as when another person in the family has to carry a gun for their job, the best option may be to ensure all guns are stored safely, using a lock box, gun safe, or cable lock. For additional security, the key or combination should not be available to the person who is suicidal, the firearms should be stored unloaded and disassembled, with key components stored away from each other, and ammunition in a separate location from all gun components. While the person may still manage to gather all of the parts and ammunition, keeping everything stored separately may slow them down enough to give them time to change their mind.
At Cottonwood, we offer residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of treatment for people who are struggling with mental illness and addiction, as well as secondary eating disorders. Our staff has helped many clients who have struggled with suicidal thoughts move forward and build happier, healthier lives.
