Suicide Information
Why do people kill themselves? The simple answer is they are emotionally unstable. More than 90% of people who commit suicide suffered from a significant psychiatric illness at the time of their death. Suicide is a cry for help that should never be ignored.
Warning Signs of Possible Suicidal Individual
- Previous suicide attempts
- Verbalizing of suicide threats
- Giving away of prized personal possessions
- Collection and discussion of information on suicide methods
- Expression of hopelessness, helplessness, and anger at oneself or the world
- Themes of death or depression evident in conversation, written expressions, reading selections or artwork
- Statements or suggestions that the speaker would not be missed if he or she were gone
- Scratching or marking of the body, or other self-destructive acts
- Recent loss of a friend or family member (or even a pet) through death or suicide or other losses
- Acute personality changes, unusual withdrawal, aggressiveness, or moodiness, or new involvement in high risk activities.
- Sudden dramatic decline or improvement in academic performance, chronic truancy or tardiness, or running away.
- Physical symptoms such as eating disturbances, sleeplessness or excessive sleeping, chronic headaches or stomachaches, apathetic appearance
- Use or increased use of substance
If someone you know is thinking about suicide there things you can do to help them.
- Begin a dialogue by asking questions in a nonjudgmental way.
- Ask if they have thought about suicide or if they have a plan to commit suicide
- Never keep a plan for suicide a secret.
- Do not try to minimize problems or same a person into changing their mind.
- If individual is in immediate danger or indicated that they have inflicted harm to themselves contact law enforcement.
- If individual is not in immediate danger acknowledge the situation and offer to work together to get help.
If you think someone is thinking about suicide, ask them. You will not give them the idea if they have not already considered suicide. By asking you show the individual that there is still someone who cares about what happens to them. Remember it is better to ask and be wrong then not to ask at all and regret it later.
