Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 26, 1993 TAG: 9301260302
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
PARENTS HEAR SUICIDE-PREVENTION TIPS
They came with questions on how to talk about suicide to their children, or how to talk to them at all.They wondered whether discussing suicide only leads to more suicide.
They wanted to know how to encourage a child to live up to her potential or how to keep a child from pushing himself too much.
A panel of educators and counseling professionals tried to give answers Monday night to about 150 parents and teachers who attended a meeting of the Christiansburg Parent-Teacher Association that was organized after two of the school's students committed suicide.
Open lines of communication and a strong show of love and support were stressed as ways parents can help their children deal with the suicides and their feelings.
Parents and professionals should become concerned when teen-agers exhibit continued depression, aggression and hostility, Hamilton said.
Hamilton said that while the most frequent means of attempted suicide is overdose, the most frequent way of committing suicide is with a gun.
"If you have guns in the house, get them out. Don't just lock them up - get rid of them," Hamilton said.
Hamilton urged parents and teachers not to trivialize the problems children tell them about and to seek professional help for them when needed.
But one audience member tearfully complained about not being able to get her child to go to counseling. Panel members urged parents whose children say they won't talk to a professional to take them anyway. Usually, professionals can get such children to open up.
Kathy Kenley, a prevention specialist with the New River Valley Community Services Board, told parents they should "focus on listening to your child."
Dr. Winsdon Pound said it was important for people to educate themselves on warning signs people give when they are depressed and possibly suicidal.
Pound, a former principal, said repeated shows of affection are important.
His prescription?
"Eight hugs a day . . . and 13 is a sight better."
Roy Scott, an emergency services counselor with the RAFT Community Crisis Center, encouraged parents to call upon his office to make assessments if they are concerned someone is suicidal.
Sgt. Michael Cox, an investigator with the Christiansburg Police Department, said he didn't think teen-agers who commit suicide realize the finality of their actions.
It appears the child expects to commit suicide today, and still be here next week, he said.
Cox encouraged gun owners to buy trigger guards, store ammunition separately from weapons, and to buy a locked box in which to keep guns.
Sometimes, Cox said, it doesn't matter how much love is in the home, or how well teachers and counselors react. But when suicides occur, Cox cautioned, the community should "be careful in the way that we deal with it."
He said teachers, family members, ministers and the press should think about how they discuss the matter and how much detail to release. Over-eulogizing a suicide victim can almost make death look appealing, he said.
Memo: Correction ***CORRECTION***