Suicide is Preventable.
This has been a tough year. A really tough year. And for some people, the pain is unbearable.
Nearly 45,000 Americans died by suicide in 2016, according to the CDC. That is approximately how many people in the UK have lost their life to COVID-19 in 2020 so far.
Think about how much coverage you hear about suicide.
In the UK in 2018, 6,507 people lost their life to suicide and with recent reports indicating that the number of those that have depression has doubled in the last 3 months, this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day is never more pertinent.
This years’ theme “Working Together to Prevent Suicide” highlights that we all have roles to play in this issue, whether it’s by raising awareness, educating ourselves further or by taking the time to look after our own wellbeing.
Every week in the UK, 125 people take their own lives, 75% of these being male. Whilst every person struggling will have their own complexities, taking a few steps with anyone who you may be worried about will help us make a start in reducing these numbers and there are a few warnings signs to look out for.
Suicide is preventable.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the Samaritans any time, any day on 116 123.
If someone is threatening to kill themselves, don’t leave them alone. Call 999 or, if you can do it safely, take them to the nearest hospital. Try to keep the person calm and get help from others.
We need to think about and talk about it more.
It starts with knowing what to look for and what to do.
You can help.
Some warning signs to look out for:
Becomes withdrawn. The person avoids close friends and family, loses interest in activities and social events, and becomes isolated. Now this has been harder to spot recently as social activities are fewer and further between however think about how conversations you have had with them have gone.
Blames themself for everything negative. The person may talk openly about unbearable pain or feeling like they’re a burden on others.
Suffers from low self-esteem. The person may feel undeserving of positive things in their life and might find it difficult to see the opportunity of positive things in the future.
Drinks or takes drugs. Substance misuse raises the chance of suicide. Using a lot of drugs and alcohol may be an attempt to dull the pain or to harm themselves.
Acts recklessly. The person may take dangerous chances, like driving drunk or having risky sex.
Focuses on death. Some people talk openly about wanting to die or to commit suicide. Or they dwell on the topic of death and dying. They may research ways to kill themselves or buy a gun, knife, or pills. Don’t dismiss their talk of suicide as just threats. It’s an opportunity for you to talk with them about what is troubling them.
Suddenly seems calm. If someone is suffering from depression, they may be withdrawn, anxious, sad, or angry, irritable, moody, or aggressive or a combination of any of these plus more. However, an individual can suddenly seem to be better and ‘back to normal’ by becoming calm once they’ve decided to go through with the suicide.
Makes plans. The person may take steps to prepare for death, like updating a will, giving away stuff, and saying goodbye to others.
How you can help:
Offer help and listen.
Don’t ignore the problem.
Talk about feelings and the behaviours you have seen that cause you to feel concerned.
You don’t need to solve the problem or give advice.
Be non-judgmental.
Get professional help.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the Samaritans any time, any day on 116 123.
If someone is threatening to kill themselves, don’t leave them alone. Call 999 or, if you can do it safely, take them to the nearest hospital. Try to keep the person calm and get help from others.
Some people who are suicidal might not show these signs, and some warning signs may not be obvious. People who feel suicidal might try to hide what they are going through or pretend they are okay.
If you think that someone might be at risk, pay attention to changes in their behaviour, trust your instincts and ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support people, train as a mental health first aider, find our more info here.
