Lets talk about suicide

Suicide is one of those topics that many find very difficult to talk about. Unfortunately the issue of suicide is not going to go away and the only time we seem to talk around it, is when a known celebrity or some type of mass murder ending by suicide occurs. The issue of suicide is a real social problem and as a license clinical social working, the discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation is a regular part of daily my conversation in sessions.


Some of the risk factors associated with suicide ideation and suicide attempts are: mental illness, substance abuse, feeling hopeless and unloved, wanting to stop the pain, made a bad decision, philosophical views about death and dying, and crying out for help just to name a few.


Statistics show that nearly 40,000 people die from suicide in the United States every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is estimated that a young person dies from suicide at least every two hours. That’s a disturbing number. What’s even more disturbing for me, is that most people who attempt suicide, never seek professional help.


Suicide is not just an individual issue, rather I t is a problem that effects everyone who is connected to the person who’s attempted, and succeeded with suicide. Family, and friends alike tends to carry the burden of a loved one who’s ended his/her life by suicide. Preventing suicide is not an easy task and it takes everyone’s support to spread awareness. Society has complicated this process by attaching a negative stigma on people who tries to share their thoughts of committing suicide.


One of the biggest ways we can prevent suicides from occurring is by teaching individuals how to recognize the signs, how to become more aware, and how to become open and sensitive to hearing and allowing others to share their pain. In order to do this properly, there are a few things that one should understand about suicide. Knowing these truths can help to spread awareness and hopefully to prevent the inevitable from occurring:

1. Suicide is a worldwide health problem The World Health Organization estimates 800,000 die by suicide every year, which equates to about one death from suicide every 40 seconds. Only about 5% of those suicides happens in the U.S.
2. If an individual has tried suicide once and was not divided they are at a greater risk of attempting it again. At least 20% of people who died by suicide made at least 1 prior attempt.
3. Just because someone has attempted suicide does not mean that person wants to die. More times than not the individual is in so much pain and all that person wants is for the pain to just stop. That is too news, because that means there is still hope for you to be able to help the individual.
4. Please whatever you do, Don’t be afraid to ask if your loved one been thinking about, feeling, or attempted suicide. Talking to your loved one about their suicidal ideation can actually help lower their risk of attempting or trying again.
5. Lastly, take every threat or discussion about suicide as real. Never assume that the person will not follow through and that they are doing it for attention. People who talk about it eventually will try it, so don’t be dismissive.

For anyone that may be struggling or know someone who is battling with depression and thoughts of suicide , please know, there is help. You don’t have to handle depression or any other serious mental illness on your own. You can always talk to a loved one, a Pastor, a friend, a teacher, or a neighbor. If you do not have someone to turn to, you can call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.


Other online available resources:

1. www.stopasuicide.org: This organization provides people with warning signs of suicide so you can help prevent others from such an act.
2. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org: This organization allows people to call or chat online with a suicide prevention counselor.
3. www.thetrevorproject.org: This organization offers life-affirming programs to members of the LGBTQ youth community at risk for suicide.

Reference:

1. Suicide prevention (SUPRE). (n.d.). World Health Organization. Retrieved August 22, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/
2. Suicide facts. Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=705D5DF4-055B-F1EC-3F66462866FCB4E6