Introduction
Recently when creating a webpage, I checked out ChatGPT as a means to be reminded of the typical language used to make a referral for suicide prevention.
Spoiler Alert: I found some help… But, the “help” was only useful after doing a bit of fact-checking. If there is anything that looks like a fact in content provided by ChatGPT it needs to be verified. As they say, even a blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time. However it is on you to double-check any “nut” given to you by a squirrel before biting down.
Prompt: I am in the process of creating a webpage that will sell a mp4 download of a special zoom presentation in which one of the participants was asking questions about suicide. I would like to include a link on the page that could direct anyone finding the page to a good resource for anyone thinking about suicide.
Do you happen to know one or two good and/or standard links to send people to?
ChatGPT4: Yes, I can recommend a couple of reputable resources for suicide prevention and support. Please consider adding the following links to your webpage:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA)
Website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Phone: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for individuals and their loved ones.
Samaritans (UK)
Website: https://www.samaritans.org/
Phone: 116 123 (UK and Ireland)
Samaritans is a charity that offers emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. They are available 24/7 via phone, email, and in-person visits.
Please remember to include appropriate information for your target audience, as these resources are country-specific. If your audience is international, consider adding a more comprehensive list of hotlines or support resources for various countries.
Prompt: Thank you for the links. Now I am wondering about standard language used to introduce the links. I recall something like: If you or anyone you know is dealing with blah blah blah… I forget the exact words. Do you have any suggestions?
ChatGPT4: Certainly! Here’s a suggested phrasing you can use to introduce the links on your webpage:
“If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing emotional distress, please remember that help is available. Reach out to one of the resources below for support and assistance.”
Then, you can list the resources as mentioned earlier or add any additional resources relevant to your audience. This phrasing should convey empathy and provide a clear call to action for those who may need help.
Prompt: Thanks that will work just fine.
ChatGPT: You’re welcome! I’m glad the suggested phrasing works for you. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask. Good luck with your webpage, and thank you for including such important resources for those in need.
In Conclusion
The language suggested by ChatGPT4 is close enough to that which I (vaguely) remember. So that was good. In case you are curious, here’s the page I was working on.
The two resources were also familiar to me. So it was tempting to use them as provided. Good thing I’ve been working to train myself to double-check “facts” from ChatGPT. The first resource suicidepreventionlifeline.org has been updated. This has been upgraded to the 988lifeline.org. The old URL is currently set to forward any traffic to the new site. But, that may stop. So getting the correct address is important.
To me this served as yet another reminder that there are three things that you most definitely should do before using AI Chat content:
- Fact Check
- Fact Check
- Fact Check
So was this a Time Saver? Yes. But, at potential risk. If I had not exercises due-diligence in checking the facts the whole thing could have gone side-ways.