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Preventing Suicide Part 2:  Verbal, Non-Verbal, and Tactile Indicators

By June 5, 2018March 19th, 2025No Comments8 min read

Janet L. Cummings, Psy.D.
Chairman of the Board, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies

In the September 17, 2016 issue of the Biodyne Mindset Newsletter, this author published an article entitled “Prevent Suicide by Recognizing Early Warning Signs.”  The article outlined the three-stage suicidal process, and focused primarily on verbal indicators of suicide at each of the three stages.  Since the publication of that article, this author has received many positive responses as well as questions about other indicators of suicide in people who are not expressing their suicidal ideation verbally.

Unfortunately, not all suicidal people tell others that they are feeling depressed and suicidal.  Most people are unable to recognize the more subtle clues for lethality, although the verbal clues are certainly easier to recognize.  It’s hard to miss when someone we care about tells us they feel suicidal.  Suicidal people are more likely to talk about their lethality early in the suicidal process, and may talk about their depression and suicidal ideation to absolutely anyone who will listen.  However, as they get closer to suicide, they usually talk about it less, and those who care about them may assume that they no longer feel suicidal.

Because suicidal people tend to talk less about their suicidal ideation as they become increasingly suicidal, and because some people never talk about their suicidal ideation, it is critical for mental health professionals to be aware of the non-verbal and tactile indicators of suicide as well as the verbal indicators.

Verbal indicators of suicide

As people move through the suicidal process, their verbal expression shifts from being more left-brain dominated (logical and matter-of-fact) to being more right-brain dominated (more illogical, confused, hypersensitive, and emotional).  Left-brain tasks, such as managing finances or planning a to-do list for the day, become increasingly difficult and overwhelming.  These people may talk of feeling overwhelmed and being unable to concentrate.  They may suddenly seem illogical and more emotional.  They may also seem more creative in their writing and other artistic expression.  For example, a very logical and unemotional accountant or engineer may suddenly be writing poetry even though s/he never did so before.  It is not uncommon for suicidal people to compose music or write poetry and stories for the first time in their lives.  In many cases, these artistic expressions are focused on suffering, hopelessness, and death.

Non-verbal indicators of suicide

Many suicidal people continue listening to or performing their preferred genres of music, as musical tastes rarely change significantly during the suicidal process.  However, their focus becomes increasingly narrowed, until they are listening to or performing just one or a few songs.  These limited song choices have meaning to the suicidal person, and the lyrics or “mood” of the music can give clues to the pain source and feelings of depression and hopelessness.  It is common for suicidal people to focus on music that portrays death as a relief as opposed to a tragedy.

Suicidal people’s drawings and other artistic expressions focus on themes of death, hopelessness, pain, and suicide.  In drawings, the body sizes of figures may be quite reduced, and shrink over time as the individual becomes more suicidal.  The small body sizes of figures reflect the suicidal person’s sense of worthlessness.  In come cases, the necks or wrists on the figures they draw may be omitted or slashed, even if they are not considering a suicide method that involves slashing the wrists or throat.  Heavy lines and dark colors are also very common in drawings by suicidal people.

Tactile indicators of suicide

Not all suicidal people exhibit tactile indicators, but when they do, these are very powerful and unmistakable for those who know what to look for.  Suicidal people may selectively hide verbal indicators by simply choosing not to talk about their suicidal thoughts.  They may selectively hide non-verbal indicators, as well, by choosing not to show others their artistic expressions.  However, tactile indicators are much more difficult to hide, and are very strong indicators of suicidality in those who have them.

Suicidal people sometimes withdraw from other people.  They stop touching other people, and stop allowing others to touch them.  For example, someone who typically hugs his/her friends, may suddenly refuse to hug or be hugged.  Suicidal people may avoid touching themselves, and as a result their grooming and personal hygiene suffer noticeably.  Some suicidal people will cover or remove all the mirrors in their homes, as they no longer want to see themselves.  They may also remove photos of themselves and family members from their homes and workplaces, because they no longer want to see themselves or their loved ones.  These are measures that a suicidal person may take to disengage from others, and even from him/herself, in order to make suicide seem easier.

Some suicidal people rest or sleep in the fetal position.  Others suddenly begin experiencing a number of injuries, as they become careless and more accident prone, hoping they will die in an accident and therefore won’t have to suicide.  In some cases, suicidal people will nervously touch or scratch their necks and/or wrists, even if they are not considering a suicide method that involves these areas of their bodies.  These areas can become sources of a constant irritation that is impossible to ignore, even if the person is not considering suiciding by cutting these areas.

The various verbal, non-verbal, and tactile indicators of suicide differ from person to person.  Some suicidal persons exhibit most of these indicators, while others show relatively few of them.  Each individual will show more of one type than the others, so it is imperative that mental health professionals who assess and treat suicidal people be familiar with all of them.

Even though the indicators of suicide are highly variable from one person to another, all suicidal people progress through a three-stage process.  These three stages will be briefly outlined here, and are explained in more detail in this author’s September 17, 2016 article.

Stage One: Ideation

In this stage, the individual is thinking about suicide.  However, s/he is frightened by his/her suicidal thoughts.  The fear of suicide outweighs its attraction.

Stage Two: Planning

The individual’s attraction to suicide has begun to outweigh his/her fear of suicide.  S/he is able to actively plan the method and timing of his/her suicide.

Stage Three: Autopilot

The person has decided to suicide.  At the moment that s/he makes that decision, the decision becomes unconscious and s/he is unaware that s/he is on a collision course with death.  People on autopilot no longer seem depressed, as their depression lifts when they make the decision to die.  In most cases, people on autopilot will attempt or complete suicide within two days.

Suicide is a very complex issue, and suicidal ideation is expressed differently in different people.  Therefore, if you suspect that someone close to you is suicidal, it is best to consult with a mental health professional who is well trained on the suicidal process and how to intervene.  At the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, our Doctor of Behavioral Health students receive significant training on how to recognize when someone is suicidal and how to intervene at all stages of the suicidal process.

Suicide Prevention

References

Cummings, J.L. (September 17, 2016) Preventing Suicide by Recognizing Early Warning Signs.  In Meeting Market Demand: Biodyne Mindset Newsletter.  Phoenix, AZ:  Cummings Graduate Institute.

Cummings, J.L. (2006).  Suicidal patients: The ultimate challenge for master psychotherapists.  In W.T. O’Donohue, N.A. Cummings, & J.L. Cummings (Eds.).  Clinical strategies for becoming a master psychotherapist.  San Diego, CA:  Elsevier.

Cummings, J.L. (1996).  Managing suicidal patients: The ultimate test in overcoming outmoded attitudes.  In N.A. Cummings, M.S. Pallak, & J.L. Cummings (Eds.).

Surviving the demise of solo practice: Mental health practitioners prospering in the era of managed care.  Madison, CT:  Psychosocial Press.

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As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.

Willam Chum, LMHCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

The Doctor in Behavioral Health (DBH) program has changed my understanding of the subject and career path. Before this academic journey, my knowledge of behavioral health was primarily theoretical, including essential ideas and methods. However, the DBH curriculum combined intense academic research with practical application, helping me understand behavioral health from multiple angles. Recognizing mental health as part of total health changed my perspective. The biopsychosocial model, which showed how biological, psychological, and social variables affect mental health, was stressed in the DBH curriculum. This comprehensive approach made me realize how complex human behavior is and how important it is to address mental health issues. Effective interventions must target the individual’s surroundings, relationships, and life experiences, not just symptoms. The curriculum also gave me enhanced evidence-based practice training to execute successful solutions. Studies methods and data analysis classes improved my critical thinking and allowed me to evaluate and apply behavioral health studies. This gave me the confidence to contribute to the field’s knowledge base through practice and research.

Dr. Rhea Hill, DBH, LPCDBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 17, 2025

This program will change how you present to the world, not just as a professional but as an individual. Understand this is work but the work is worth it and the journey is undeniably transformative. If you are seeking a doctorate for the title, this is not the program for you. If you are seeking a doctorate to interrupt and disrupt the course of healthcare, then this is the program for you. You won’t find a more supportive program with professors who are dedicated to your success and your education. This program is not about the regurgitation of information. It is about the appropriate applied application of knowledge and information to push forward and become an advocate for equitable and quality care for all.

Brandy K. Biglow LMHC, CCTP, QSDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 5, 2024

The Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program has definitely transformed my understanding of behavioral health. Understanding the links between physical and mental health has taught how to make better treatment decisions. The DBH program has also given me insights that otherwise would not be possible and allows me to view individuals through a lens that I was previously ignorant of. This program has helped me grow into a more confident individual, provider, and parent.

Cory H. Cannady, BCBA, LBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 13, 2024

The DBH program has reinforced my vision of viewing behavioral health (BH) as an integrated component of the healthcare system rather than a siloed service. As a practitioner in the focused BH realm of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, I observe on a regular basis how identifying and serving SUD patients is often missed, ignored and stigmatized in primary healthcare, despite the fact that early intervention at these check-points often has the potential to intervene earlier and lessen the negative SUD outcomes frequently seen by the time a patient reaches specialty SUD services. Reinforcement received in my DBH program has motivated me to promote integration as a leader in my workplace and is a primary factor in considering the long-term trajectory of my individual career path.

Kenneth L. Roberts, MPS, LPCC, LADCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 5, 2024

Graduating from the DBH program has influenced and enhanced my approach to addressing behavioral health challenges and making a difference in the field by preparing me to become a serious business owner. Through the DBH program, I understand now that becoming a business owner not only assists me in reaping the financial benefits of working for myself, but the program also offers me a sense of freedom to make a difference in an individual’s life.

Dr. Rebecca K. Wright, DBH, LBA, BCBA, QBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 18, 2024

I have always wanted to pursue a higher degree but never found a program that met my needs. When I investigated the DBH program, I can honestly say I was excited. It was a program that would expand my knowledge in behavioral health but also how it relates to physical health. The philosophy of treating the whole person was exactly what I was looking for.

Elizabeth Nekoloff, M.Ed., LPCC-S, NCCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 16, 2025

Prior to obtaining my DBH, I practiced behavioral health within the boundaries of behavior analysis. The DBH degree has given me the ability to broaden my scope of competence allowing me to provide a higher quality of care to my clients through a person-centered approach, while still staying within my scope of practice. I was in the beginning stages of opening my business when I enrolled in the DBH program which set my trajectory towards being a stronger leader. The program equipped me with essential healthcare leadership and entrepreneurial skills, allowing me to ensure high-quality services for my clients and foster a supportive work environment for our staff. It has also given me the confidence to expand my business and pursue other healthcare ventures, reaching a broader range of patients in need.

Dr. Pauline Tolentino Pablo, DBH, BCBA, IBADBH Alumna, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 21, 2025

Although I have worked with many patients who have mental health diagnoses, or behaviors which make managing their medical diagnoses and day to day life difficult, the DBH program at CGI is broadening that knowledge and providing a deeper understanding of behavioral health and how best to help these individuals manage their health and improve their quality of life. This will allow me to provide and advocate for more meaningful and seamless integrated care, providing new tools for my intervention toolbox, and the confidence and skills to collaborate within and lead whole person focused interdisciplinary teams. I also anticipate building upon my knowledge as a nurse case manager and long time caregiver, as well as my personal passions and professional vision, learning about processes and operations, to be in position to start up and lead my own company one day, offering the services and care I know every person should have access to.

Hollie Wilson, MSN, RN, CCMDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - February 11, 2025

The DBH program will open opportunities for me to contribute to healthcare system innovation, particularly through trauma-informed care and integrated behavioral health settings. I will be better positioned to advocate for and implement holistic care models that improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Ultimately, this program will help me transition into higher-level roles, such as a director or consultant in behavioral health, where I can influence broader system changes and contribute to the future of healthcare delivery.

DeKyn Rashad Peters, MPH-CHES,BSW/BA,APCDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 4, 2025

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