Addressing Suicidality in Autism | Psychology Today

The 988 Lifeline is a valuable resource for our community

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I love research. I love to read it, and I love to conduct it. I use research to guide my work as a clinician and educator. And sometimes, research just breaks my heart.

Over the last five years or so, I’ve been wat،g study after study do،enting the prevalence of suicidality in autistic adults. Each study demonstrates, a،n and a،n, the higher prevalence rate of death by suicide and suicide attempts for autistic adults.

Death by suicide a، autistic people is four times higher when compared to the general population (Kolves et al., 2021), and suicide attempts are seven times more common for autistic adults (Hirovoski et al., 2020). Add in the intersection of being a woman on the spect، and we find that for autistic women, there is an even more heightened risk of suicide and suicide attempts (Kirby et al., 2019).

Each of these studies reports the problem. Everyone wants a solution.

One of the first things the general public thinks about to address suicide is the national ،tline: 988 Lifeline. The primary goal of the 988 Lifeline is to provide support for people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress in the moments they need it most and in a manner that is person-centered.

Throug،ut 2023, I parti،ted as a member of the Autism Society’s Suicide Prevention Task Force; parti،nts of the task force included people like me, professionals w، sit on the panel of professional advisors, and autistic adults with lived experience w، are members of the Council of Autistic Advisors for the Autism Society.

One of the recommendations from the task force was to require a national training curriculum for 988 call center s، to understand ،w to respond to callers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as autism. Research about the need for this training was conducted in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University. The Autism Society ،sted a panel to discuss implementing targeted autism training for 988 call centers.

We can do better when autistic people are in crisis, and the 988 Lifeline is a valuable resource for the community, including members of the autism community. However, specific training and support are necessary to ensure that the 988 Lifeline meets the specific needs of the autistic community.

Given my interest in well-being, I was also curious about protective factors to prevent suicidality. How do we support autistic people so they do not experience the ،pelessness and despair that leads to suicide? The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists these five protective factors:

• Access to mental health care and being proactive about mental health
• Feeling connected to family and community support
• Problem-solving and coping s،s
• Limited access to lethal means
• Cultural and religious beliefs that encourage connecting and help-seeking discourage suicidal behavior or create a strong sense of purpose or self-esteem.

Of these five, the one that jumps out to me is “feeling connected to family and community support.” Relation،ps are one of the five building blocks of the PERMA theory of well-being (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relation،ps, Meaning, and Accomplishment) (Seligman, 2018). Relation،ps are to connect with others, to love and be loved (Seligman, 2011).

Hari Srivinasan, an autistic sc،lar, just wrote a piece for Time magazine on The Pervasive Loneliness of Autism. Srinivasan describes his experience as an autistic person and what contributes to his loneliness and the loneliness of disabled people and then implores us all to understand that “All humans, disabled or not, yearn for human connections that enrich their lives beyond a mere fulfillment of basic needs.”

Loneliness is a national issue. In an attempt to address the epidemic of loneliness, the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has created the “5-5” challenge.

• Step 1: Commit to connect. Pick five actions and five days to connect with people in your life.
• Step 2: Connect each day for five days. Each day, take one simple action of your c،ice to express gra،ude, offer support, or ask for help.

I want to ask that one of your five actions includes a connection and an action with an autistic person. Murthy said, “Our relation،ps are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight—one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more ،uctive lives.”

If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately.

To find a the، near you, visit the Psyc،logy Today Therapy Directory.