Suicide is one of the
leading causes of death.
In 2022 alone, there
was at least one death by suicide every 11 minutes.
Suicide can be
prevented 100% as long as everyone is educated on the warning signs, how to help someone with suicidal
thoughts or suicidal ideation.
Read on to learn what
the warning
signs of suicide are,
how to talk to someone you think may be having suicidal thoughts, and how you
can play a part in suicide
prevention.
What
to watch out for
Sometimes people don’t
show obvious signs of having any issues.
This can make it hard
to tell if they are depressed, sad, having suicidal thoughts, or perfectly fine
— like they appear or claim to be.
Some people who are
close to the person affected by suicidal thoughts can tell something is off.
For some people, the
signs they are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts are:
●
Talking about wanting
to die, that the world or people around them would be better off, or that no
one cares
●
Feeling empty,
hopeless, or trapped
●
Having extreme
feelings of sadness, anxiety, or rage
●
Complaining about
unbearable pain — emotional or physical
●
Making plans or
researching ways to die
●
Withdrawing from loved
ones or things they used to enjoy doing
●
Writing a will, saying
goodbye to loved ones, or giving away cherished belongings
●
Extreme mood swings
●
Extreme changes to
eating or sleeping habits
●
Beginning to take
drugs or drink excessively
At times, the person
may even seem excessively happy, try too hard to please others, or try to make
everyone laugh.
Talking
it out
If you notice any of
these signs, you can help the person by talking to them or getting them
professional help.
You can try to talk to
them by reaching out and saying things like:
●
Something seems off
with you lately, are you ok?
●
You can talk to me
about anything that's bothering you, I’m always here for you.
●
Please don’t hurt
yourself
●
I don’t want you to
die; I would miss you too much
●
You can try sending
them a letter or heartfelt card that expresses how you feel about them, that
you are thinking of them, and that you are always there for them.
Sometimes, just
knowing that someone cares can make a big difference in their life and mental
state.
There are things you
should avoid if you think or know someone is having suicidal thoughts or
attempting suicide.
Among these are:
●
Telling them you know
how they feel — it's likely that you don’t know, because everyone’s feelings
and thoughts are different
●
Telling them to get
over it, that they are just being dramatic, or the thoughts and feelings will
pass
Don’t make promises to
keep it a secret, because the truth is, telling someone else can save their
lives.
And most importantly,
Don’t ignore the warning signs and just blow the person off!
Finding
help for someone with suicidal thoughts
If you believe a loved
one is showing warning signs of suicide or attempting to commit suicide, and
you cannot help them, get help.
If their life is in
immediate danger, call 911 and do not leave their side.
Point them to
resources or tell someone, like a trusted adult, therapist, doctor, or a
suicide hotline about your concerns.
You or your loved one
can text or call The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat with someone
online at 988lifeline.org.
The hotline is open
24/7 with someone available to talk to.
Talking to someone on
the hotline is confidential.
They can and will help
you or your loved one find more resources to help if needed, though.
Just remember, death
by suicide can be completely preventable if we all join in the fight for suicide
prevention.
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