National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
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1-800-273-8255
important Update! Listen to Dr Smithers of Counting Stars Ranch teach on the importance of helping disabled veterans and first responders recover from PTSD and it’s strong link to suicide.
Suicide is becoming very rampant in most developed and developing countries worldwide. It is common in different genders irrespective of their age group. However, it is more common in younger and depressed individuals. The suicidal thought is like plant seeds that take time to germinate, Most people do not commit suicide abruptly. It is often characterized by numerous progressive warning symptoms before the act is carried out. It has been discovered by scientist that about 50 percent of suicidal rates could be avoided if people are more vigilant about the symptoms displayed. There are many Christian non profits who are prepared to help suicidal people find their purpose in life. Many of these operate by fundraising and we should be prepared to help those who are helping the hurting.
According to the American Society of Suicidology, about 123 daily cases of suicide are recorded in America and close to 40,000 Americans committed suicide in 2011. These staggering and alarming figures are higher than the annual recorded frequency for Prostate cancer, murder, and automobile accident. There are always a lot of signs and symptoms expressed by people planning to commit suicide before committing this act.
Suicidal Warning Signs
There are numerous clues left by suicidal patients before committing suicide. These signs and symptoms leave a window period for people to reduce the suicidal rate s in most countries. There are different signs and symptoms experienced before suicide depending on the etiology and underlying disease. The most common warning signs and symptoms of suicide include:
- Physical Changes: Suicidal patients often display a lot of warning physical changes to show they have suicidal intentions or plans of taking their own lives. The physical changes in their behavior and attitude include:
- Altered sleeping pattern: People planning to commit suicide often suffer from somnolence or insomnia.
- Change in feeding Habits: Most people planning to commit suicide suddenly changes their eating habit, they either become bulimic or anorexic.
- Loss of Social Interest: it has been discovered that suicidal individuals suddenly lose interest in social events, sex, personal hygiene, and things they once loved.
- Increased Illness: Suicidal patients often experienced lowered immunity due to poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.
- Loss of Energy: The presence of fatigue, weakness, lethargy, loss of energy, or motivation to do anything is characteristics of suicidal thought or intentions.
- Communication Symptoms: There are numerous common communication symptoms in suicidal patients. They often say specific sentences are indicating a sign of guilt, loneliness, escape, damage, and helplessness. The common sentences and phrases commonly used by suicidal patients include:
- Guilty expressions such as” it is all my fault” I am responsible for all this.
- Escape: Most people say things like, there is no way out for me.
- Loneliness: There is a feeling of loneliness before suicide is committed. Suicidal patients say things like no one cares about me, and I am alone
- Damaged: They all feel irreparably damaged and helpless leading to suicidal thoughts.
- Behavioral Problem: There are numerous changes in behavioral pattern experienced by suicidal patients. When you start noticing some changes in behavior and attitude, especially the ones that are initially absent, They are often pointers to suicide. The most common suicidal behavioral patterns include:
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Aggressive attitude
- Boredom towards things they previously loved
- Increased Risk-taking
- Unexplained crying
- Emotional Outburst
- Self-Mutilation
- Fighting or breaking the law
- Emotional Behaviors: People are planning to come suicide often exhibit some unusual emotional behaviors and reactions towards life. These behaviors are usually present for a prolonged period; the duration is sufficient enough to suspect suicide and call for help, especially when they start behaving like that suddenly or after a traumatic event. The most common emotional behaviors include:
- Sadness
- Loneliness
- Separation from people and what they love
- Frequent Anger outburst
- Worthlessness
- Isolation
- Desperation
Discovering the early warning sides of suicide can go a long way in saving people with suicidal thoughts or intent. A scientist has discovered that more than 50 percent of suicidal patients would be alive if they were discovered earlier by their numerous warning signs and symptoms. According to the American Association of Suicidology, there is a pneumonic and tool used to identify the major warning signs and symptoms of suicide called “IS PATH WARM “The full meaning of the pneumonic is described below:
- Ideation or suicidal thought
- Substance Abuse
- Purposelessness
- Anxiety
- Trapped
- Hopelessness
- Withdrawal
- Anger
- Recklessness
- Mood Changes
How Should I talk to someone Who Is Suicidal?
Talking to a suicidal patient involves a lot of factors centered on understanding them and making them feel better. The underlying etiology of suicidal intent is Loneliness and lack of care. Most people are planning to commit suicide need affirmation of love and care. There are some essential basic things you need to know when planning to talk to someone who is suicidal such as:
- Let the person feel comfortable around you, by letting them know that they are not alone, other people also think of suicide
- Show them love, care, and empathy
- Try to make them do most of the talking, help them talk about their problem
- Discuss ways to solve and treat their problem with them
- Be the friend, they desperately need
- Let them know that it is treatable and there are solutions, give them hope.
How I can I tell if the Suicide Threat is Serious
There are different stages of suicidal thoughts; there are some stages that make people planning to commit suicide dangerous to them and the people around them. You need to ask specific questions to determine the severity of the suicidal thought. Some of the questions you can ask or find out to determine the severity of the suicidal thought includes:
- Find out, if the person is tired of life or planned the venue for the suicide
- Ask, if they have a plan on how and when you commit the suicide
- Confirm, if they are under alcohol or drug abuse
- Confirm history of previous suicide attempts or thoughts
Suicide is prevalent in this era, due to the poor communication skills among people, and the lack of support and care people receive due to the intense work ethics of this generation. However, the suicidal rate can be drastically reduced when the warning symptoms are discovered earlier.
