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Hacks for Suicidal Folks

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People rarely talk about suicide directly, but many of our participants suffer from serious depression and think about suicide a lot.

One of the things that organizations might consider is ensuring that all of their staff are trained in Mental Health First Aid. There is more information in the section on Mental Health First Aid.

A person’s behavior may change drastically, or they may begin to talk about wanting to disappear or go away. In the event that people begin to talk like this, it’s important to perform a basic standard assessment of the seriousness of suicidality and help participants form a survival plan and/or connect with emergency services as needed.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Edie Springer’s Worker Stances for Clients Who Use Drugs & Harm Reduction Worker: Best Practices

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Harm reduction immediately resonated for Edie, who was herself a former drug user and methadone patient. Faced with the devastation of HIV’s impact on drug-using communities, Edie fully embraced harm reduction and trained hundreds of harm reduction workers who have carried her legacy with them. She developed these worker stances in 1996 and they have been shared among many of us in the harm reduction community for generations.
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Important Terms: Person First Language

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Generally, it’s important to use “person first language” when describing people who are marginalized due to some part of their identity being stigmatized, such as folks struggling with their substance use, people who do sex work, and folks living outside.
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