ONE MORE DAY OF HOPE FOR MORE LIFE OF PROMISE.
What will you miss the most when all is said and done on earth for you?
Let it ponder a bit as we go through this article.
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source: https://kingsbridgetrainingacademy.com/world-suicide-prevention-day-2022/
Any
time we have a loss of life, it touches deeply at our core.
The
text messages, phone calls or short meet ups, at times, we have to craft to our
loved ones, in order to break the news. Others in professions like healthcare
who have to break down news to families filled with hope, some in the defense
line of work who have to share with families about their loved one’s status
after serving the country.
It
is without doubt a heavy burden that is faced by countless people. Sometimes it
is always difficult to understand why some perish.
However,
more than trying to understand the plight of others when they depart from our
lives, what about when we personally encounter the potential loss of life in
front of us? Through natural causes and those that we have no control over?
It
can also feel overwhelming knowing at times we have no control over where
danger could potentially appear in our lives.
One
area of the preservation or lack thereof, of life, which seems very
controversial and highly stigmatized, which is normally not discussed in
society, is when one controls the taking of one’s life.
Hearing
about a friend, family member or loved one taking their own life can already
feel very confusing and thoughts can be racing every waking day. More so that
you are not able to talk to them, that they have departed.
Let’s
take a dive and understand what suicide is all about.
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source: https://indopsycare.com/suicide-prevention/
Getting
to know what is suicide
When
learning about suicide and people prone to it, they are a number of terms that
are useful to learn to be able to discern various activities linked with suicide
and the act itself. These include:
- Suicide:
It
is death caused by an act of self-harm that is intended to be lethal
- Suicidal
behavior: It involves the spectrum of behavior which range
from suicide attempt, preparatory behaviors and complete suicide
- Suicide
ideation: It refers to the process of thinking, planning and
considering committing suicide
Further
developments and research into suicide has led to the rise of new terms such
as:
- Suicide
intent: Intention to end one’s life through the act of suicidal
behavior
- Suicide
attempt: It involves, nonfatal and potentially injurious
behavior directed to one’s self, with the aim of committing suicide
- Suicide
attempt survivors: It involves people who have had attempts
at suicide but have fortunately overcome their intentions of committing suicide
- Suicide
loss survivors or suicide bereaved: It includes the family,
friends and loved ones who have coped with the grief of loss of the person who
committed suicide
Causes
and risks of Suicide
One
of the most common reasons suicide tends to occur is due to a deep feeling of
hopelessness. This involves an inability to see solutions to problems and cope
with life’s challenges. From this situation, tends to grow a desire to see that
taking one’s own life to be the only solution.
Mental
disorders as risks of suicide
Some
of the risk factors in the causation of suicide involve depression disorder and
other psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, chronic pain, a family history of
suicide and a prior suicide attempt. Some of the mental disorders include:
- Depression:
It
is a mood disorder marked by persistent sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness,
or emptiness. These moods are often common drivers of suicide ideations or
contemplations. Most people with depression rarely commit the act but however
concerning signs should not be taken lightly
- Bipolar
disorder: It is a mood disorder characterized by mood shifts
between energetic states (Mania) and depression. The shifts of mood greatly,
influence the risk of suicide. However, with treatment risk of suicide is
reduced.
- Post
Traumatic Disorder: It is a disorder characterized by the
development of the inability to cope with emotions, thoughts and feelings after
experiencing of a traumatic event. The complex emotions, thoughts and feelings
may develop some depression and anxiety, which may precipitate the risk of
suicide. Treatment with medication and therapy can reduce the risk of suicide.
- Substance
use disorder: It is a disorder marked by the
uncontrollable and excessive use and dependency on a substance to function in
day-to-day life. Often known to cause death due to overdose, the less discussed
part of the loss of life for people with this disorder is heightened
risk of suicide. Usually suicide happens to people with substance use disorder
with already preexisting mental health conditions. The treatment of both often
can reduce the risk of suicide.
- Borderline
Personality Disorder: It is characterized by unstable
moods, difficulty maintaining relationships and intense fear of abandonment.
Evidence of research suggest that 70% of people with BPD will attempt suicide
and 10% will die from it. However, with therapy and medication this risk will
be reduced.
Other
mental health conditions that could be linked to the risk of suicide include
ADHD, Autism and Anxiety.
Socioeconomic
factors can also lead to the contemplation of suicide such as unemployment or
job loss.
An
individual who speaks of taking their own life and feeling very hopeless with a
few risk factors occurring within their life are prone to the attempting or
committing of suicide. They should quickly contact mental health services as
soon as possible.
Factors
such as age and gender may play a role but it is still under research. However,
the various stages of life present a varied number of social influences,
economic pressures, mental health challenges and genetics could potentially
play a role within various demographics.
Handling signs of suicide and Suicide Prevention
It
is ultimately challenging to understand what could be going in the mind of
another person, even with visible signs that everything in their life may be
going well. It is, therefore important to be able to be aware of the signs that
someone could be at risk of suicide and handle it early before it develops.
Common
warning signs include:
-
Talks of feeling hopeless, worthless,
“trapped” or has no reason for living
-
Makes a will, gives away possessions or
tries to get “affairs in order”
-
Searches for a means to cause self-harm,
such as acquire lethal weapons e.g guns or swords
-
Sleeps too much or too little
-
Eats too little or too much
-
Shows signs of despair and/or
significant mood swings
-
Acts agitated, anxious or aggressive
-
Avoids other people, including loved
ones, spends more time than usual to being alone
-
Behaves recklessly
-
Drinks alcohol or uses drugs excessively
-
Have experienced a huge life stressor recently,
such as the death of a spouse, the loss of a job or traumatic events
-
Has attempted suicide or demonstrated
suicidal behaviour in the past
When to know you are in a crisis
For
people who may have never experienced suicidal thoughts, the idea of suicidal
crisis may seem like an event that an individual may actively switch on. Rather
than the crisis happening all at once (in some cases it could happen all at once),
it occurs gradually, or on an ebb or flow over a period of weeks or months.
Someone
who has experienced fleeting or passive suicidal thoughts for a long time, may
not be aware that these thoughts can ultimately turn dangerous. It is why
experts advise, that anyone with talks or thoughts of committing or attempting
suicide should seek adequate mental health care immediately or at least talk
with someone about it.
Understanding
self-harm
The
act of self-harm or damage to one’s own body is often tied in with suicidal
ideation or intention. This therefore means, that people who often participate
in self-harm at times have suicidal thoughts but it is not always the case.
Self-harm
can still be dangerous, even with the absence of suicidal thoughts, and often
is a sign of mental unwellness. Mental health care should be administered to be
individual as early as possible.
Seeking
help for risk of suicide and getting Community support
It
is firstly important to be able to recognize the signs that have been occurring
with you, if you are the one in crisis. Instances of wishing you didn’t exist
or feel as though you aren’t need on earth, hurt or harm yourself. It is highly
recommended you seek professionals who are able to attend to you urgently.
When
it comes to others or loved ones who may have or show signs of committing
suicide, at first it can be alarming and confusing. However, when the signs
have been spotted it is important that you contact relevant helplines and local
emergency services to be able to take appropriate measures to acquire help.
During
treatment with a professional therapist, it is advised that you explain in
complete description your experiences with intentions, ideations or attempts
with suicide. It will help address pressing concerns that the therapist can
look at from a professional angle and also empower an individual in knowing
that the emotions and feelings they are experiencing are not something to be
marginalized by.
Talking
about suicide and coping after suicide loss
Suicide
is a heavy to talk about, whether you are the one experiencing the thoughts or
attempts or looking to talk to someone about their experience with suicide
intentions and attempts. It is normal to feel anxious and nervous, but the best
route to approach a conversation about suicide, is to be able to be open,
non-judgmental, honest and listen with an empathetic ear.
It
is however common that people struggling with suicide thoughts and attempts
tend to feel like “burdens” or “dramatic” when they share their issues with
others. It is also therefore important to be patient with people undergoing
sharing their problems of suicide as well as where being attentive with an
empathetic ear, comes to help.
On
the other hand, they are those that have lost loved ones due to suicide and
have emotions to work through and often need a place to share them. One of the
common emotions that develop are grief, aside of shame, anger, stigma guilt,
regret and in some cases, development of some trauma.
Through
all these cases, support from family, friends and mental health services can
provide a good base to be able to navigate and work through those emotions.
Conclusion
Suicide
is a complex issue to grasp and often is able to be properly identifiable
through learning the risk factors, potential causes and triggers than can cause
one to launch themselves into such emotions of taking their own life.
However,
in light of its complexity, there is also support and awareness that helps to
be able to educate and help people who are navigating this path. The support
aims to ensure the individuals experiences thoughts or attempts of suicide feel
less stigmatized, accepted and comforted in knowing that they are not a burden
or curse to society and their loved ones.
In
the end, suicide is an issue that should not be neglected because of social
stereotypes or sociocultural beliefs. It is an issue that must be handled with
utmost care and patience to help people deal with the stressors in their lives
and not shy away from asking for help.
References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/suicide
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