‘Give me some sunshine, give me some rain! Give me another chance I want to grow up once
again!’ These lyrics of a popular song actually resonate with the current
situation the youth of today are facing, with all the stress around and
inability to cope with the same. We all grow up, however not all of us grow up
to be strong mentally, not all can combat stress and depression gracefully.
Some fail and when they do, they do not see any other path but to end their
life.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has chosen
‘Suicide Prevention‘ as the theme for the Mental Health Week for the year 2019.
The above issue is a very sensitive yet important one to tackle for all of us.
Not all who say they will kill themselves commit suicide and not all who want
to kill themselves inform others about their intent. It is very difficult to
judge a person just by his or her words, a detailed suicide risk assessment and
prevention becomes pertinent here.
Suicide is a major public health concern.
It is the 10th leading cause of death overall. In our small state of Goa, the
number of suicides is rising at an alarming rate. Multiple reasons lead to it
but the most common ones are alcohol consumption and stress. Suicide is
complicated but it can be prevented by knowing the warning signs and
identifying the risk factors.
Common risk factors for suicide are:
Depression and other psychiatric disorders
Poor social support
Financial crisis
Failed love relationships
Drug abuse
Job stress
Warning signs to see in a person with
depression and intent of suicide:
Talking about death
Talking about emptiness in life
Searching for lethal methods online, stockpiling pills
Feeling guilty for no apparent reason
Feel like being a burden to others
Getting nervous
Not eating well
Not mixing with friends and family
Feels like there is no hope in the future
Keep talking about not meeting again
Many people have some of these risk
factors but do not attempt suicide. It is important to note that suicide is not
a normal response to stress. Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of extreme
distress, not a harmless bid for attention, and should not be ignored.
PREVENTION OF SUICIDE
Five tips from CDC (Centre for Disease Control) for what you can
do if you’re concerned about a friend or loved one:
1. ASK: ‘Are you thinking about killing yourself?’ It’s not an easy
question, but studies show that asking at-risk individuals if they are suicidal
does not increase suicides or suicidal thoughts. Asking the question ‘Are you
thinking about suicide?’ communicates that you’re open to speaking about
suicide in a non-judgmental and supportive way. Asking in this direct, unbiased
manner, can open the door for effective dialogue about their emotional pain and
can allow everyone involved to see what next steps need to be taken. Other
questions you can ask include, ‘How do you hurt?’ and ‘How can I help?’ Do not
ever promise to keep their thoughts of suicide a secret.
The other side of the ‘Ask’ step is to ‘Listen’. Make sure you
take their answers seriously and not to ignore them, especially if they
indicate they are experiencing thoughts of suicide. Listening to their reasons
for being in such emotional pain, as well as listening for any potential
reasons they want to continue to stay alive, are both incredibly important when
they are telling you what’s going on. Help them focus on their reasons for
living and avoid trying to impose your reasons for them to stay alive.
2. KEEP THEM SAFE: Reducing a suicidal person’s access to
highly lethal items or places is an important part of suicide prevention. While
this is not always easy, asking if the at-risk person has a plan and removing
or disabling the lethal means can make a difference. The myth ‘If someone
really wants to kill themselves, they’ll find a way to do it’ often does not
hold true if appropriate safety measures are put into place. The Keep Them Safe
step is really about showing support for someone during the times when they
have thoughts of suicide by putting time and distance between the person and
their chosen method, especially methods that have shown higher lethal risk
(like firearms and medications).
3. BE THERE: Listen carefully and learn what the
individual is thinking and feeling. Research suggests acknowledging and talking
about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal thoughts. An important
aspect of this step is to make sure you follow through with the ways in which
you say you’ll be able to support the person do not commit to anything you are
not willing or able to accomplish. If you are unable to be physically present
with someone with thoughts of suicide, talk with them to develop some ideas for
others who might be able to help as well. Listening is again very important
during this step – find out what and who they believe will be the most
effective sources of help.
4. HELP THEM CONNECT: Helping someone with thoughts of suicide
connect with ongoing supports (like Suicide Helplines) can help them establish
a safety net for those moments they find themselves in a crisis. Additional
components of a safety net might be connecting them with supports and resources
in their communities. One way to start helping them find ways to connect is to
work with them to develop a safety plan. A safety plan can also include a list
of individuals to contact when a crisis occurs.
5. STAY CONNECTED: After your initial contact with a person
experiencing thoughts of suicide, and after you’ve connected them with the
immediate support systems they need, make sure to follow-up with them to see
how they’re doing. Leave a message, send a text, or give them a call. The
follow-up step is a great time to check in with them to see if there is more
you are capable of helping with or if there are things you’ve said you would do
and haven’t yet had the chance to get done for the person.
If we just talk to our loved ones in their stress we might save
them from taking this drastic step. It just needs a listening ear to vent out
and if you can be that to someone you can do a lot for the society. There are a
number of suicide helplines available nationally. COOJ in Goa have started
their suicide helpline, which is active and has made a lot of difference to the
people of Goa.
Suicide Helpline in Goa
0832-2252525 (Monday to Friday, 1pm to 7pm)
The
writer is a consultant psychiatrist and treasurer of Psychiatric Society of Goa
