Additional Info
Eighty per cent of people who think about or attempt suicide have sent out a warning sign to those around them , however, few will make a direct request for help to deal with their suicidal thoughts.
Submit Your Story (Page 4 of 7)
Before submitting your story it is important that you understand this is both a research and an education project. The Research Ethics Board at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario, Canada has approved this research project and requires that you read, understand and agree to the following information:
Consent Statement Print this page
Participant Information
Title of Study: A Web-based Narrative Study of Factors Important in Recovery Following a Suicide Attempt: The Reasons to go on Living Project
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Brasch, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Co-Investigator: Helen Kirkpatrick, RN, MScN, MEd, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Sponsor: Psychiatry Associates AFP Research/Education Grant, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
You are being invited to participate in a research study conducted by Dr. Brasch because you want to share your story about yourself, a suicide attempt you made, and how you found reasons to go on living afterwards.
In order to decide whether or not you want to be a part of this research study, you should understand what is involved and the potential risks and benefits. This page gives detailed information about the research study. Once you have read this information, you will be asked if you understand the research project. If you understand the project, you will be asked if you agree to participate in the study by submitting your story. Only if you click on “I agree” will you be able to submit your story. Please take your time to make your decision about participating. Feel free to discuss it with your friends and family, or your mental health care provider.
Dr. Brasch and Dr. Kirkpatrick are receiving no compensation for their work on this project. If any of the stories are published in a book or other format, part of the proceeds will be donated to suicide prevention programs. Dr. Brasch has received a research grant from the Psychiatry Associates AFP Research/Education Grant fund to cover the costs of this study.
Why is this research being done?
This project is being done to improve our understanding of how people’s thinking changes after a suicide attempt. A lot of research has been done to identify people at high risk of dying by suicide, but very few researchers have studied what happens after a person tries to end their life and does not die. Most people choose to go on living, but we do not understand how their thinking process changes. If we had a better understanding of how people who want to end their lives find the strength to go on living, we might be better able to help people who are considering suicide change their thinking and not make a suicide attempt.
What is the purpose of this study?
The purpose of this study is to collect stories from people who have made a suicide attempt and now want to go on living. The stories will be read and analyzed to help the researchers understand how people find reasons to go on living.
What will my responsibilities be if I take part in the study?
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will use this website to send us your story. Your story will be about yourself, your suicide attempt, and what happened afterwards. We want to understand how you found reasons to go on living. You will submit your story anonymously. That is, no specific information that could identify you will be collected. What you include in your story will be entirely your choice.
Only stories that describe a person, their suicide attempt and what happened afterwards will be included in the study. No one who submits a story will be contacted since we will not collect any personal information about you.
What are the possible risks and discomforts?
You may find that writing your story about your suicide attempt brings back distressing or upsetting feelings. There is a possibility that thinking about your suicide attempt could cause you to have feelings about suicide again. If you develop disturbing thoughts or feelings while describing your story for this project, you are encouraged to contact a support person, your mental health care professional or a crisis support service. There are links to crisis services from this website.
You may be concerned that your story will include information that could identify yourself or others and that would cause you embarrassment or upset other people if they read the story. If your story is chosen for posting on the website or for publication, all possible identifying details will be changed. Of course, it may be possible that someone recognizes your story and the Project cannot prevent that. We accept no responsibility and hold no liability in that event of someone “recognizing” you through your story.
How many people will be in this study?
It is impossible to know how many people will submit their story for this project. We would like to collect at least 200 stories but we hope to receive many more.
What are the possible benefits for me and/or for society?
You may find it interesting to reflect on how you felt and how you have changed since you made your suicide attempt. You may want others to read your story and understand how you found reasons to go on living.
This project will help us understand how people’s thinking changes after a suicide attempt. Our results may enable us to help other people with suicidal thoughts before they try to end their lives. From this study we may develop recommendations for mental health clinicians about how to better help people who are suicidal.
Some of the stories we receive will be posted on the web site and may be published in other forms, such as a book. Reading stories by people who have made a suicide attempt and then found reasons to go on living may give hope to people who read them. It may be that if someone who is thinking about suicide reads these stories, they may find their own reasons to go on living and decide not to attempt suicide.
If I do not want to take part in the study, are there other choices?
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. If you do not want to submit your story, please do not do so. If you are in crisis, please click here.
What information will be kept private?
No personal information will be collected. The story as you submit it will not be shared with anyone outside the Project except with your consent or as required by law. The stories and data will be stored on a password-protected computer in a locked office.
All stories will be given a number which will be included if the story is published on this website or in a book. It will be up to you if you want to remember the number of your story. If your story is chosen for publication, all information that could identify you or anyone else will be changed. Once your story is submitted, you will not be able to remove or change it. We may edit or change the story if it is chosen for the website or publication in a book or other form.
For the purposes of ensuring the proper monitoring of the research study, it is possible that a member of the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Research Ethics Board may consult your research data. By agreeing to this consent form, you authorize such access.
If the results of the study are published, your name will not be used and no information that discloses your identity will be released or published.
The database containing research information from the stories will be destroyed 10 years after the end of the study.
Will I be paid to participate in this study?
No.
Will there be any costs?
No.
If I have any questions or problems, whom can I call?
If you have any questions about the research now or later please look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page of this website or contact the investigators at info@thereasons.ca.
If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Office of the Chair of the Research Ethics Board, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 905-522-1155 Ext. 33537.
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