Brave Listening: Supporting Someone with Suicidal Thoughts
- Someone you love says, "I want to kill myself," and you want to help.
- Hearing that a loved one wants to die by suicide can feel jarring.
- Preventing suicide is much more likely when peopel can openly and honestly talk about their experiences.
Someone you love says, “I want to kill myself,” and you want to help. What can you do? And what should you say?
Hearing that a loved one wants to die by suicide can feel jarring. As a psychologist who specializes in suicide prevention, I’ve seen this first-hand. I’ve been in the room with dozens of patients who,for the first time,share these thoughts with a loved one-be they a romantic partner,a friend,or a family member.
The disclosure event is a good sign. Preventing suicide is much more likely when peopel can openly and honestly talk about their experiences. We cannot address a problem if we never no it exists.
Sadly, research shows that many people conceal their suicidal thoughts to avoid embarrassment, negative judgment, or the fear that it will worry a loved one (Hom et al., 2017).These findings highlight why it is so crucial to be supportive during a disclosure. Of course, this is easier said than done.
Avoid These Automatic Responses
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In my personal and professional experiences, I’ve witnessed a variety of knee-jerk responses that have caused harm. they might come from a good place, but they might be received as unsupportive or invalidating, making someone less likely to be honest about their suicidal thoughts (Frey et al., 2018). I describe some examples below.
Denial. When someone denies the possibility or reality that someone has suicidal thoughts and/or urges, intentions, or capabilities to make a suicide attempt.
- “You would never do that. You have everything to live for!”
- “Your just saying that for attention. You don’t actually mean it.”
- “I can’t hear this now. You’re just upset.”
Personalization. When someone shifts the attention of the conversation to be about themselves. Through this redirection, they might blame themselves for suicidal thoughts, or even take the disclosure as a personal affront.
- “Oh, so you’re“`html
sam Altman Returns as <a href="https://www.newsdirectory3.com/work-life-and-synthetic-intelligence-34-assume-ai-could-be-a-higher-boss-than-a-human/" title="Work, life and synthetic intelligence: 34% assume AI could be a higher boss than a human">OpenAI</a> CEO
San Francisco, CA – Sam Altman has been reinstated as CEO of OpenAI, just days after being abruptly ousted from the role.The reversal followed intense pressure from investors and employees, and a conditional resignation from former president Greg Brockman. The board has also undergone significant changes,with Bret Taylor appointed as the new chair.
Sam Altman’s Reinstatement as OpenAI CEO
Sam Altman is once again the CEO of OpenAI, effective November 22, 2023, following a tumultuous period of uncertainty. His return marks a swift resolution to a leadership crisis that threatened the future of the artificial intelligence company.
The initial removal of Altman on November 17, 2023, stemmed from a loss of confidence by the board, who stated he was not consistently candid in his communications. However, this decision was met with widespread criticism and a near-mutiny from OpenAI employees, with hundreds threatening to resign and join Altman at Microsoft. Microsoft CEO Satya nadella played a key role in negotiating altman’s return, and subsequently offered Altman and Brockman positions at Microsoft.
Evidence: OpenAI’s official blog post on November 22, 2023, confirmed Altman’s reinstatement and outlined the changes to the board. https://openai.com/blog/sam-altman-returns-as-ceo
OpenAI Board Changes
The OpenAI board of directors has been substantially restructured as part of the agreement for Altman’s return. Bret Taylor, previously a board member at Salesforce and Twitter, has been appointed as the new chair of the board. He will lead the search for new board members to ensure appropriate governance.
Three outgoing board members – Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, and Helen Toner - will be replaced. Sutskever,OpenAI’s chief scientist,was a key figure in Altman’s initial ouster.The new board will focus on establishing a more robust governance structure and regaining trust after the recent turmoil.
Evidence: OpenAI’s blog post details the board changes and Bret Taylor’s appointment. https://openai.com/blog/sam-altman-returns-as-ceo
Microsoft’s Role in the Resolution
Microsoft played a crucial role in resolving the OpenAI leadership crisis. After Altman’s initial removal, Microsoft quickly offered him and Greg Brockman positions to lead a new advanced AI research team within microsoft. This move put significant pressure on OpenAI’s board to reconsider their decision.
Microsoft is a major investor in OpenAI, having invested billions of dollars in the company. Satya Nadella, microsoft’s CEO, emphasized the importance of OpenAI’s continued independence while also highlighting Microsoft’s commitment to supporting the company’s mission.The offer to Altman and Brockman demonstrated Microsoft’s willingness to ensure the continued development of AI technology.
Evidence: Microsoft’s official press release announcing the hiring of Altman and Brockman. https://news.microsoft.com/2023/11/20/microsoft-to-hire-sam-altman-and-greg-brockman-to-lead-new-ai-research-team/
OpenAI’s Mission and Future
openai’s stated mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. The recent events have raised questions about the company’s governance and its ability to achieve this goal. Altman’s return is expected to stabilize the company and allow it to refocus on its core mission.
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