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No Suicide ContractA no suicide contract is the unequivocal agreement that the individual signing the contract will, under no circumstances, die by suicide. Then the next section lists names and phone numbers that an individual needs to call if he or she becomes suicidal. No-suicide contracts also need to emphasize that the individual must call 911 or the local emergency number if he or she is in immediate danger of dying by suicide; and if the suicidal thoughts are relatively mild, then he or she will call 1-800-SUICIDE or any of the other listed numbers. No suicide contracts need to be very short and easy to understand. Anything that is not necessary should not be put in the contract. After the agreement has been completed, both parties sign and date the contract. The objectives of no-suicide contracts include: 1) Establishing a mindset in which the individual realizes that it is never okay to die by suicide. 2) Giving the person a way to get help if he or she is suicidal -- most people are in deep emotional pain, very confused, and unsure of what to do when they are suicidal, so by writing down a list of things to do and people to contact, they will not have to "think things out" - the information will be right in front of them. Anyone who has been (or is potentially) suicidal should sign a no-suicide contract with his clinician and with family or friends. After the contract is signed, review the terms of the contract and make sure that there are no misunderstandings about what will be done if the individual becomes suicidal.
I,_____________________________________, hereby agree that I will not harm myself in any way, attempt suicide, or die by suicide. Furthermore, I agree that I will take the following actions if I am ever suicidal: 1) I will remind myself that I can never, under any circumstances, harm myself in any way, attempt suicide, or die by suicide. 2) I will call 911 if I believe that I am in immediate danger of harming myself. 3) I will call any or all of the following numbers if I am am not in immediate danger of harming myself but have suicidal thoughts(please list names, phone numbers, addresses, and any other relevant contact information below): 1-800-SUICIDE -- 24-hour suicide prevention line that can be called from anywhere in the U.S. 4) I will continue talking on the phone with as many people as necessary for as long as necessary until the suicidal thoughts have subsided. Signature______________________________ Date___________________ Witness_______________________________ Date___________________
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