Suicide usually happens when the resources to cope cannot manage the impact of the stressor. To prevent losing one more life to suicide we should become aware of the magnitude of this problem as well as the warning signs, because at some point we will encounter someone that is at risk, and we may help conserve a life and contribute to decrease human suffering.
Who is at risk?
Everyone is, but there are some groups that are at higher risk than others and they include:
1) Males
a) Males are more like to complete suicide as they use more lethal methods, but females attempt suicide three times more frequently than men.
2) People who suffer from mental illness or substance abuse disorders
a) Some sources identified that 90% of the people that died by suicide had a mental health
issue that could have been diagnosed.
3) Family history of suicide or mental illness
4) People who have experienced a loss (loss of a child, a wife, a friend, a job, etc)
5) Victims of trauma
6) People with poor or inadequate support network
7) People who have access to means (drug, forearms, etc)
8) Victims of bullying
9) People experiencing life transitions (retirement, college, divorce, etc)
10) Medical illness including chronic pain
Some of the Warning Signs are:
1) Hopelessness, helplessness
2) Loss of the sense of purpose
3) Isolation
4) Extreme changes in behavior
5) Increased depression and/or anxiety
5) Giving away possessions
6) Wreckless behavior
7) Preoccupation with death or suicide
8) Sudden cheerfulness after a period of depression
9) Increase alcohol intake
If you know someone that may be at risk reach out, asking about suicide will not put ideas in a person's head, by contrary it may give them hope that someone care. Most suicides are preventable, so please help someone stay alive.
Sources of information:
www.suicidology.org
www.stop-suicide.org
National Suicide Prevention Life Line: 1-800-273-8255(TALK)
Samaritan's Statewide Number: 1-877-870-4673
If imminent risk dial 911
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