Ask. Care. Tell. — 2 Corinthians 1–7

Come, Follow Me: New Testament 2023 (September 4–10)

In 2 Corinthians 7: 5,6, Paul describes a dark time, “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” 

There may be times we are called upon to be Titus, the person who is there for another who is “troubled on every side” and considering suicide. The church website has good resources on the topic of suicide prevention. Here is a revised summary of one of those articles.. (See https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/suicide-how-to-help/how-to-help-someone-in-crisis?lang=eng#p1.)

Step 1: Ask. Ask the person directly if they are thinking about suicide. If they are, ask, “Do you have a plan to harm yourself?” If they have a plan, help them get to a medical facility or call 988, a national suicide crisis line as soon as possible. If they aren’t in immediate danger, go to step 2.  

Step 2: Care. Show that you care by listening to what they say without interrupting or advice giving. Phrases such as “This must be so hard” or “You must be feeling a lot of pain” may be helpful in encouraging them to share their thoughts and feelings. You might offer to help them create a suicide-prevention plan that could include removing their access to guns and pills.

Step 3: Tell. Encourage the person to get help from a professional. If they won’t seek help, you need to tell someone for them. You may want to say something such as, “I care about you and want you to be safe. I am going to tell someone who can offer you the help you need.” Respect their privacy by telling only someone you think can help, such as a close family member, the person’s bishop, a school counselor, a doctor, or another health care professional. Follow-up to make sure they receive the help they need. 

Always take seriously the warning signs of suicide and any threats to attempt suicide, even if you think the individual is not seriously thinking about suicide or is just seeking attention. 

By knowing what to do in these difficult circumstances and listening to the Spirit, you can be the comforter sent by a loving Heavenly Father to give caring and hope to the person who is “cast down” and “troubled on every side.”