Crisis Services
ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.
ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.
This resource, part of the Be Well, Think Well resource collection, provides information about what are suicidal thoughts and how to manage those thoughts, the risk and protective factors for suicide, and information to help professionals know what to do if they are working with someone with ASD who has thoughts of suicide.
***ASERT Does Not Offer Crisis Services If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.***
Suicidal thoughts are when people think about suicide or wanting to end their own life. Suicidal thoughts may happen if someone is depressed.
Suicidal thoughts are thoughts such as:
People will call these thoughts “suicidal ideation.” It is important to get help if you are having any thoughts about killing yourself or hurting yourself in any way.
It is important to get help if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts about death.
Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the United States.
These factors increase the risk of someone attempting suicide:
Items marked with an * are more true in the autism population compared to neurotypical individuals.
Protective factors don’t erase a person’s risk for suicide. They simply lower the person’s risk. Research on protective factors in the autism community is limited. However, the factors listed here are considered helpful in lowering a person’s risk for suicide in the general population:
If you’re concerned someone may be considering suicide or is a danger to themselves you can:
People who are depressed or anxious have an increased risk for suicide. People with autism and mental health conditions are also at a higher risk for suicide.
Ask Questions
If you are worried someone is having suicidal thoughts, the first step is to ask questions. It can be scary or uncomfortable to ask about suicidal thoughts, but asking can help people get the support they need.
Asking questions can help figure out if the person is experiencing passive or active suicidal ideation.
The next step is to provide supports to help maintain their safety.
There are different options and types of crisis support available to help people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Name | Description | Type | File |
---|---|---|---|
Be Well, Think Well: What Are Suicidal Thoughts? | This resource provides examples of suicidal thoughts. | Download file: Be Well, Think Well: What Are Suicidal Thoughts? | |
Be Well, Think Well: How to Manage Suicidal Thoughts | This resource gives some information about support and resources that are available to people who may experience suicidal thoughts. | Download file: Be Well, Think Well: How to Manage Suicidal Thoughts | |
Be Well, Think Well: Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide | This resource provides information about risk and protective factors for suicide. | Download file: Be Well, Think Well: Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide | |
Be Well, Think Well: Assessing for Suicidal Thoughts | This resource will help professionals know what to do if they are working with someone with ASD who has thoughts of suicide. | Download file: Be Well, Think Well: Assessing for Suicidal Thoughts |
This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.