Suicide – Warning Signs

 

NOTICE: Severity of symptoms.

Is depression or mania so severe that it is disrupting one’s ability to function and take care of oneself. This is an alert to ASK if someone is having suicidal thoughts and feelings.

 

ASK: Are you having suicidal thoughts?  Do you have a plan to commit suicide?

If someone has suicidal thoughts/intentions and has a plan, it is necessary that you take action in the interventions below.

 

NOTICE: Have they isolated themselves?

Isolation is a HUGE warning sign of danger.   Usually suicide occurs in ISOLATION.

NOTICE: Are they participating in activities that put their life in harm OR do they have beliefs about their own abilities that could put their life in harm?

Suicide is NOT always intentional.  Sometimes suicide is an accident.  It is common for people to accidentally commit suicide when mania is present because of the experience of omnipotence / invincibility.

NOTICE: Are they giving away their belongings or saying “Goodbye” to people.

This is common behavior for people who are preparing to stop living.

Many people commit suicide on an impulse because they cannot take the pain any longer.

It is important to check in with people and understand how they are coping and tolerating the pain of mental illness or circumstances in their lives.

The key is if someone has a plan for suicide and a means to carry it out, they are lethal to themselves.

I can’t stress this enough: Suicide happens in ISOLATION. A key to prevent suicide is to prevent ISOLATION.

 

 

Interventions to Prevent Suicide

 

INTERVENTION: Do NOT let someone that is suicidal be alone.

This may mean having family members and friends perform a 24 hour watch.

It does require for people to remain in consistent contact with their loved ones by having check-ins through-out the day and night until stability is reached for the person at risk for suicide.

If someone is still threatening to attempt suicide or attempting suicide even with all of the support of their family and friends….they should be voluntarily or involuntarily hospitalized. You can do this by calling 911.

INTERVENTION: Talk about suicide with the person you are concerned about.

Many people are afraid to talk about suicide…talk about suicide with them anyway.

Talking about suicide will NOT cause or help someone to commit suicide, unless you give them ideas about ways to kill themselves and the means to kill themselves.

INTERVENTION: Inform them that suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.

It is so easy to forget that pain is temporary, even if it lasts for a very long time.   People forget this.  You MUST remind them by talking about suicide.

INTERVENTION: Sit beside them.  Be with them.

Join them in their pain.  Sit beside them and just be with them and listen to them if they feel like talking…if not, just hold their hand.

You don’t have to DO anything to prevent suicide. You just have to BE there…be with someone who is suicidal.

 

Unfortunately, if someone truly wants to commit suicide…there is nothing you can do to stop them. In the moment they get alone, they will commit suicide.

If someone you know has commit suicide. I want you to know that it is not your fault. It truly is not your fault.

 

Survivor’s Guilt

 

When someone commits suicide it changes the lives of everyone who cares about them. It does irreparable damage.

The people left behind often blame themselves. “If only I had been there! If only I had known how badly they were hurting! If only I had done something!”

I want you to know it is NOT your fault.

You did not know.  You could not see it.  You cannot be responsible for what can’t see and don’t know.

You did the best that you could with the resources you had available to you at the time.

 

 

Currently Having Suicidal Thoughts & Feelings

 

If you are currently having suicidal thoughts and feelings. Fight it! Do not isolate yourself. Tell someone.

Tell someone, “I am in danger. I need your help. I cannot be alone right now.” If they ask you why, “Right now I have the desire to take my life. I need you to help me stay alive.”

 

If you are having suicidal thoughts and feelings, I want you to know that

YOU ARE NOT A BURDEN.

 

Your life matters.

 

Suicide is a permanent solution for temporary pain…

even if the pain has lasted for a really long time.

 

Get Help

http://www.suicidehotlines.com/