In suicide prevention, the goal is not simply to help individuals avoid death—it’s to help them build a life worth living. This profound truth, championed by pioneers like Marsha Linehan, underscores the transformative potential of meaning and purpose in guiding people through their darkest moments.
When someone is in the depths of an existential crisis, they’re not seeking death as much as they’re seeking relief from pain that feels intolerable and endless. This distinction points to a vital, often underemphasized question: How can we infuse our suicide prevention efforts with meaning, belonging, and purpose to sustain individuals through pain and guide them toward recovery?
The Case for Meaningfulness in Suicide Prevention
Research consistently shows that meaningfulness is a powerful protective factor against suicide. The famous words of Friedrich Nietzsche—“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”—capture this concept well. Having a sense of purpose, belonging, and a coherent life narrative can help individuals endure even the most challenging times.
Yet, many suicide prevention interventions focus primarily on reducing the reasons for dying rather than enhancing the reasons for living. While alleviating pain is crucial, it’s equally important to foster the elements that make life worth living. This dual approach—addressing both the drivers of despair and the anchors of hope—offers a more holistic and effective path forward.
Lessons from Research and Practice
Evidence underscores the importance of integrating meaningfulness into suicide prevention strategies:
- Reasons for Living: A study by Dr. Madelyn Gould on the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program found that counselors trained in ASIST were more effective at reducing suicidality. Their success stemmed from their ability to explore both the caller’s reasons for dying and their reasons for living, as well as connections to meaningful relationships.
- The CAMS Approach: David Jobes’ Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework emphasizes shifting individuals’ attachment from suicide to life. This includes systematically eliminating reasons for dying, cultivating reasons for living, and exploring purposeful plans for the future.
- Enhanced Crisis Response Planning: Dr. Craig Bryan’s enhanced crisis response plan, which incorporates a strong focus on reasons for living, has shown remarkable results, including an 86% reduction in hospitalizations for suicidal individuals compared to standard safety plans.
These approaches demonstrate that meaning-based interventions not only reduce immediate risk but also build a foundation for long-term resilience and recovery.
The Pillars of Meaning
In her book The Power of Meaning, Emily Esfahani-Smith identifies four pillars of meaning: belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence. Of these, three are particularly relevant to suicide prevention:
- Belonging: Feeling valued and understood by others is a cornerstone of meaningfulness. Suicide prevention must actively foster a sense of belonging by helping individuals rebuild their “tribes” and reconnect with supportive relationships.
- Purpose: Having a goal that feels significant and far-reaching—something that contributes positively to the world—can help individuals see their lives as meaningful. Purpose offers a stable anchor, even in turbulent times.
- Storytelling: Creating a coherent narrative from life’s fragmented experiences can transform chaos into clarity. When individuals can reframe their struggles as part of a larger story, they often find renewed hope and direction.
From Protective to Prospective Factors
Most suicide prevention efforts focus on protective factors—what keeps someone safe in the moment. But what if we expanded our scope to include prospective factors, the elements that propel individuals toward a meaningful future?
Jennifer Lachman’s Thrive intervention exemplifies this shift. By helping individuals make meaning of stressful life events, Thrive promotes self-efficacy and hope. Lachman’s research shows that even a single 60-minute session focused on meaning-making can significantly reduce suicidal ideation and inspire individuals to envision a new path forward.
This approach aligns with the idea that meaningfulness is not something we chase; it’s something we cultivate. As Viktor Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning: “Success, like happiness, must ensue. It cannot be pursued.”
John Draper, Ph.D., is President of Research, Development, and Government Solutions at Behavioral Health Link