Lesson 4 – Before the Breakdown

 

Objectives:

 

• Identify the warning signs of someone who may be experiencing a severe mental health breakdown.
• Demonstrate what actions are helpful to approach a friend, family member, or partner, who needs help.
• Differentiate the differences between what a friend can do and what can only be done by a mental health professional.

  Sixty-seven percent of students report first disclosing suicidal thoughts to a friend. Friends are on the front lines of mental health challenges. The Before the Breakdown lesson helps students understand how to approach a friend in crisis and what to do when someone is suicidal. It’s common for people to come forward after a tragedy occurs and say that they saw signs something was wrong. The goal of this lesson is to help people feel empowered to take action before someone breaks down.