SUICIDE — the act of taking one’s own life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2017, the 10th cause of death in the United States was suicide. Worse, suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents 10 to 19 years old.
Suicide follows heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease on the causes of mortality, according to the report of the CDC. It has now become a public health problem that is begging to be talked about, understood and addressed.
What causes suicide? What drives a person, who is equipped with life instinct for life preservation, harm him/herself to end it all?
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there is no one cause for suicide. However, this tragedy “often occurs when stressors and health issues converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair. Depression is the most common condition associated with suicide, and it is often undiagnosed or untreated. Conditions like depression, anxiety and substance problems, especially when unaddressed, increase risk for suicide. Yet it’s important to note that most people who actively manage their mental health conditions go on to engage in life.”
HOWEVER, SUICIDE CAN BE PREVENTED. We just have to be better informed about what it is all about, what the warning signs are and how we can respond appropriately to help your self, a loved one, a co-worker, a friend, a student or anybody that exhibits such warning signs.
It is not just about being “malungkot” all the time. Some people can be functional or have a smiling brave front, but deep inside they are hurting and dying in spirit.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention cautions that we need to be on the lookout for “a change in behavior or the presence of entirely new behaviors.” The foundation explains that “this is of sharpest concern if the new or changed behavior is related to a painful event, loss, or change. Most people who take their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.”
Warning signs:
Watch what they say or post on social media or write about. If a person talks about:
• Killing themselves
• Feeling hopeless
• Having no reason to live
• Being a burden to others
• Feeling trapped
• Unbearable pain
Be mindful of their behavior. Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss or change:
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Looking for a way to end their lives, such as searching online for methods
• Withdrawing from activities
• Isolating from family and friends
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression
• Fatigue
Be sensitive about their mood changes. People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss of interest
• Irritability
• Humiliation/Shame
• Agitation/Anger
• Relief/Sudden Improvement
Who could be at risk? The foundation discusses the characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to take their life:
Health factors
• Mental health conditions
• Depression
• Substance use problems
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Personality traits of aggression, mood changes and poor relationships
• Conduct disorder
• Anxiety disorders
• Serious physical health conditions including pain
• Traumatic brain injury
Environmental factors
• Access to lethal means including firearms and drugs
• Prolonged stress, such as harassment, bullying, relationship problems or unemployment
• Stressful life events, like rejection, divorce, financial crisis, other life transitions or loss
• Exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of suicide
Historical factors
• Previous suicide attempts
• Family history of suicide
• Childhood abuse, neglect or trauma
How you can help:
The Foundation for Suicide Prevention advises that if you think someone is thinking about suicide, assume you are the only one who will reach out. Here’s how to talk to someone who may be struggling with their mental health.
• Talk to them in private
• Listen to their story
• Tell them you care about them
• Ask directly if they are thinking about suicide
• Encourage them to seek treatment or to contact their doctor or therapist
• Avoid debating the value of life, minimizing their problems or giving advice
If a person says they are considering suicide:
• Take the person seriously
• Stay with them
• Help them remove lethal means
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Text TALK to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7
• Escort them to mental health services or an emergency room
LASTLY, if I may add, let us pray for them and their families. Let us visualize the light of God surrounding them like a shield, dissipating the dark clouds hovering above them, and healing them to wholeness.
GOD BLESS YOU.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
