Are you having suicidal thoughts? Have you contemplated killing yourself? These are some heavy and hard questions to ask as well as answer. My co-worker committed suicide last Saturday. The last thing he wrote was a ire- message on Facebook after midnight. When I received the news on Monday, it hit me like a kick to my face. Somebody that sits not even 1 foot away from me committed suicide and why didn’t I see any of the signs.

If you are currently having suicidal thoughts

Contact: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

PLEASE call 1-800-273-8255 or go here to text or online chat

MAKE THE CALL NOW “You are important and your life matters”

If you have experienced someone committing suicide

1. It is not your fault, don’t take on the fact that you should have known something ,there is no one sign so please don’t beat yourself up
2. Don’t isolate yourself this is a time to spend with others
3. Keep that persons memory alive in your heart, do something in their memory
4. Express your feelings openly and state how this makes you feel
5. Get professional help and support if need be

Fact:

There is no one cause or sign that will indicate someone maybe thinking about committing suicide.

Signs that experts/professionals suggest any of us look out for:

• If the person talks about no longer wanting to live or that they will try to attempt suicide
• If the persons behavior is or starts to be withdrawn, relies on drugs/alcohol, gives away any of their favorite items and or exhibits aggression
• If the persons mood is or starts to be depressed, irritable, feels humiliation or anxiety

Brief US Statistics on Suicide :

• Suicide is the 10^th cause of death in the US
• 42,773 Americans die by suicide a year
• Men are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than women

So NOW what can we do from now on:

1. Ask the question(s): Are you having suicidal thoughts? Have you contemplated killing yourself? If you see someone an emotional roller coaster or even if the person appears happy periodically still ask the question, you could be the one person to show you care and wants to help them
2. Support the person by listening, don’t tell them it will be okay or pacify their feelings just be a listening ear
3. Connect them with a professional or someone who can help them share and release the feelings and thoughts that they are having

 

Be kind to one another. Ask the hard questions, it could save a life.

A12HeartsSteven

Steven this is for you!

 

References:

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education. Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts  . (2016, October 9) Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/suicide/basics/definition/con-20033954

National Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2016, October 9) Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/

National Institutes of Mental Health. (2016, October 9) Retrieved from

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq/index.shtml

National Suicide Prevention Hotline . (2016, October 9) Retrieved from

http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/