SIGNS
True or False: Listening without judgment is one of the most effective ways to help someone in the Haitian community who may be suicidal.
What is true?
WHAT IS THE QUESTION/TERM YOU SHOULD ASK SOMEONE WHO YOU THINK MAY BE FEELING SUICIDAL
DO YOU HAVE SUICIDAL IDEATION/ARE YOU FEELING SUICIDAL? DO YOU WANT TO KILL/HARM YOURSELF?
True or False: Haiti has a national suicide prevention hotline.
What is false?
(share to staff chat)
True or False: Saying (“Met Fanm/Gason Sou Ou") is helpful to someone contemplating suicide.
What is false? (This dismisses their pain and can make them feel more isolated.)
In Haiti, which demographic is most at risk for suicide (age group or gender)?
Who are young men aged 15-29?
What might be a common phrase or expression of hopelessness heard in the Haitian community that can signal suicidal thoughts?
What is "Mwen pa kapab ankò" (I can't take it anymore) or "Mwen bouke" (I'm tired)?
What is a key reason why Haitians in the U.S. often delay seeking professional help for mental health issues?
What is the fear of deportation or cultural stigma?
What is the term for the Haitian belief that mental illness may be caused by supernatural forces or curses?
What is "maldjok" or "maldyok"?
What is an unhelpful response often used in Haitian culture when someone expresses emotional pain?
What is "w ap anfom" (You’ll be fine)?
(show video)
What significant event in Haiti’s history led to a spike in suicide rates due to mental health impacts?
What is the 2010 earthquake?
What generational conflict, often seen in Haitian families, can lead to feelings of despair and suicidal ideation?
What is tension between first-generation immigrants and their U.S.-born children due to cultural differences?
(show video)
A FRIEND TELLS YOU THEY WANT TO DIE, WHAT MIGHT THEY BE DOING
ASKING FOR HELP OR SOMEONE TO GET HELP FOR THEM
True or False: Many Haitians in the U.S. feel isolated due to language barriers and cultural differences.
What is true?
Saying this can minimize someone’s experience of depression or suicidal thoughts in the Haitian community.
What is “Se pa anyen" (It's nothing)?
Show video clip
True or False: Suicide is often viewed as a result of supernatural forces or curses in Haitian culture.
What is true?
True or False: "ah and then tchipe” is a helpful thing to say to someone who is feeling down.
What is false? (Because feelings aren’t always something you can just turn off like a light switch!)
WHAT ARE 2 THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE?
Never promise to keep someone's suicidal feelings a secret. Don't take it as a joke, don't judge them, and don't dismiss their feelings.
What is the stigma around mental illness often referred to in the Haitian community, making it hard for people to seek help?
What is shame or fear of being labeled "crazy"?
True or False: Telling someone “Fok ou Pale ak Gran/ met la" "Retire sa nan tet ou" (Seek God) (Take that out of your head) without offering additional support can sometimes make them feel worse.
What is true? (While faith is important, it should be paired with emotional support and professional help.)
Which Haitian cultural belief system can complicate the understanding and treatment of mental health and suicide?
What is Vodou (or Voodoo)?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUICIDE RISK FACTOR AND WARNING SIGNS?
Risk factors are conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to end their life. Warning signs are changes in behavior or entirely new behaviors (signs that indicate something may be wrong)
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO START A CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMEONE YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT?
"I have been feeling concerned about you lately.” "Recently, I have noticed some differences in you and wondered how you are doing.” "I wanted to check in with you because you haven’t seemed yourself lately.”
What is the Haitian cultural term for mental health or emotional suffering, which is often used to describe distress?
What is "tèt chaje" (literally "loaded head")?
What phrase shifts the focus to the responder’s feelings rather than understanding the person in crisis?
Se sa w vle fem?!
Name a mental health condition strongly linked to suicidal ideation in Haiti that often goes untreated.
What is depression or PTSD?