Every life is precious…And its everyone’s responsibility to prevent suicide…
One small action taken by you can save the life who is thinking/planning to attempt suicide.
All it takes is being alert and observant about the sudden changes in your colleagues or the people around you
Almost everyone who takes their own life gives some clue or warning. Never ignore suicide threats. Take people’s suicidal thoughts and feelings very seriously and help them find effective help.
How to do it?
Step1: – Ask/Question
When you observe a sudden change in a person, approach that person without hesitation and ask
“Is everything ok? I have observed that you have stopped talking with all of us (these changes in you) from last few days. What happened? Please share your concerns, I am here to help/support you.
Step2: – Connect/Listen/persuade
If they share their concerns and say they are fed up and thinking about suicide or If you sense that, please keep them safe and persuade them to take help.
Step3: – Refer/Be there
Refer that person to suicide prevention helplines or to counsellor.
Inform to their family or whomever they trust. If the situation is bad call for immediate help. And be there and keep them safe. Make sure no lethal objects are available for them hurt themselves.
Remember not to take them to counsellor or to hospital in your vehicle, ask for ambulance.
Step4- Follow up
Keep doing follow up once in a while to make sure they are feeling better and safe.
Why does one consider suicide?
We all have dreams and hopes. When a person faces lot of pain and problems it completely blocks him/her to see any future. He/she feels There Is No Alternate other than ending life. He/she starts feeling negative about self, future and about the world.
Situations can be lot painful and problems can seem overwhelming at times. Few people may think about suicide but do not act upon it. Few others, suicide seems like the only way out of their situation or the feelings they are experiencing. These people generally feel very lonely and hopeless. They believe nobody can support them or understand what they are going through.
There are many reasons why someone considers suicide:
- Relationship break-ups
- Family problems
- Sexual, physical or emotional abuse
- Drug or alcohol problems
- Mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression
- Eating disorders like Anorexia
- Major loss and grief such as a death or the suicide of a friend, family member, public figure
- School, college or work problems
- Unemployment or being unemployed for a long time
- Feeling like they don’t belong anywhere
- Financial or legal problems
- Any problem that they can’t see a solution for
Feelings experienced:
- Hopelessness
- Feeling trapped
- Depression
- Irritable/moody, angry
- Worthlessness
- No sense of purpose/reason for living
The behaviours listed below may be signs that someone is thinking about suicide.
- Talking or thinking about death often, even if it seems like joke
- Talking about feeling empty, hopeless, or having no reason to live
- Making a plan or looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching for lethal methods online, stockpiling pills, or buying a gun
- Talking about great guilt or shame
- Talking about feeling trapped or feeling that there are no solutions
- Feeling unbearable pain (emotional pain or physical pain)
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Using alcohol or drugs more often
- Being moody, withdrawn or sad, acting anxious or agitated
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Changing eating and/or sleeping habits
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Taking great risks that could lead to death, such as driving extremely fast
- Displaying extreme mood swings, sometimes a positive mood after a period of being down may indicate the person has made up their mind to take their own life, and feels relief that the decision has been made
- Giving away important possessions
- Saying goodbye to friends and family
- Putting affairs in order, making a will
- Previous suicide attempts
Often suicidal individuals give warning signs or signals of their plan. The best way to prevent suicide is to recognise these warning signs and respond to them.
Helpline Numbers: –
AASRA http://www.aasra.info/helpline.html 9820466726
Sneha http://snehi.org/ 9582208181/9810014992
Sahai (Bengaluru) 080-25497777, 9886444075
Reference:
https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/preventing-suicide
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml