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Suicide prevention Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously. If you think a friend or family member is suicidal, there is a lot you can do to save their life.
If you are thinking about suicide, read Feeling Suicidal?, call 988 in the US, or find your country’s suicide hotline at IASP or Suicide.org.
The World Health Organization estimates that around one million people die by suicide each year. What drives so many people to take their own lives? For those who have not struggled with depression and suicidal despair, it is difficult to understand what drives so many people to take their own lives. But a suicidal person is in so much pain that they see no other option.
Children And Suicide: What Are The Warning Signs?
Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape unbearable suffering. Blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, the suicidal person sees no way to find relief except through death. But despite wanting to stop the pain, most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives. They want there to be an alternative to suicide, but they don’t see it.
Fact: Almost everyone who attempts suicide is given a hint or warning. Ignore even indirect references to death or suicide. Statements like “You’ll be sorry when I’m gone”, “I don’t see a way out” – however casually or in jest – can indicate serious suicidal feelings.
Fact: Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane. They are upset, sad, depressed or desperate, but great distress and emotional pain are not necessarily signs of mental illness.
Fact: Even a person who is very serious about death has mixed feelings, alternating between wanting to live and wanting to die. Instead of wanting to die, they just want the pain to stop – and the motivation to end their lives never ends.
World Suicide Prevention Day: Know The Signs
Fact: Many people try to get help before they attempt suicide. In fact, studies show that more than 50 percent of suicide victims sought medical help in the six months before their death.
Fact: Talking about suicide does not make someone suicidal. More precisely, the opposite is true. Open and honest conversations about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save lives.
Take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously. It’s not just a warning sign that a person is thinking about suicide – it’s a cry for help.
Most suicidal individuals are aware of warning signs or symptoms. The best way to prevent suicide is to recognize these warning signs and know how to react if you see them. If you believe a friend or family member is suicidal, you can play a role in suicide prevention by communicating alternatives, showing you care, and getting a doctor or psychologist involved.
Things To Know From Those Who Have Attempted Suicide
Key warning signs of suicide include talking about killing or self-harm, talking or writing a lot about death or dying, and looking for things that could be used in a suicide attempt, such as guns and drugs. These symptoms are even more dangerous if the person has a mood disorder such as depression or bipolar disorder, alcohol addiction, has previously attempted suicide, or has a family history of suicide.
A more subtle, but equally dangerous, suicidal warning sign is hopelessness. Research has shown that hopelessness is a strong predictor of suicide. People who feel hopeless may talk about “unbearable” feelings, predict a bleak future, and say they have nothing to look forward to.
Other warning signs of a suicidal mood include dramatic mood swings or sudden personality changes, such as going from outgoing to withdrawn or well-behaved to rebellious. A suicidal person may lose interest in daily activities, neglect their appearance, or show major changes in eating or sleeping habits.
Suicidal Talk – Any talk about suicide, death, or self-harm, such as “I wish I’d never been born,” “If I see you again…” and “I’d rather be dead.”
The Simple Questions That Can Prevent A Suicide
Seeking deadly means – Seeking access to guns, pills, knives, or other items that could be used in a suicide attempt.
No hope for the future – Feeling helpless, hopeless and trapped (“No way out”). It is believed that things will never improve or change.
Self-loathing, self-hatred – Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, shame and self-hatred. I feel like a burden (“Everyone would be better off without me”).
Putting things in order – Drafting a will. Giving away valuables. Make arrangements for family members.
Making It Safe To Talk About Suicidal Ideation
Farewell – unusual or unexpected visits or invitations to family and friends. Saying goodbye to people as if they will never see each other again.
Self-destructive behavior – increased alcohol or drug use, reckless driving, unsafe sex. Taking unnecessary risks as if they have a “death wish”.
Sudden Calm – If you feel a sudden calm after being very depressed, it is possible that the person has decided to attempt suicide.
If you notice warning signs of suicide in someone you care about, you may wonder if it’s a good idea to speak up. What if you’re wrong? What happens if a person gets angry? In such situations, it is natural to feel uneasy or afraid. But anyone who talks about suicide or shows other warning signs needs immediate help – the sooner the better.
World Suicide Prevention Day
It can be very difficult for anyone to talk to a friend or family member about their suicidal thoughts and feelings. But if you’re not sure if someone is suicidal, the best way to find out is to ask. You can’t kill someone just to show you care. In fact, giving a suicidal person the opportunity to express their feelings can alleviate loneliness and negative feelings that may have lingered and prevent a suicide attempt.
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