How Do I Prevent Suicide

How Do I Prevent Suicide

Untreated mental illness (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others) is the cause for the vast majority of suicides

Some of the negative life experiences that may cause depression, and some other causes for depression, include :

The death of a loved one

A divorce, separation, or break up of a relationship

Losing custody of children, or feeling that a child custody decision is not fair

A serious loss, such as a loss of a job, house, or money

Make your alcoholic husband responsible for his actions. Every time you make excuses for him or shielded him, you have just paid for the next drink.

A serious illness

A terminal illness

A serious accident

Chronic physical pain

Intense emotional pain

Loss of hope

Being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc)

A loved one being victimized (child murder, child molestation, kidnapping, murder, rape, assault, etc.)

Physical abuse

Verbal abuse

Sexual abuse

Unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past.

Feeling "trapped" in a situation perceived as negative

Feeling that things will never "get better"

Feeling helpless

Serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration

Feeling "taken advantage of."

Inability to deal with a perceived "humiliating" situation. Inability to deal with a perceived "failure." Alcohol abuse.

Drug abuse

A feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society

A horrible disappointment

Feeling like one has not lived up to his or her high expectations or those of another

Bullying. (Adults, as well as children, can be bullied.)

Low self-esteem

How to Help a Suicidal Person

Someone is in a hospital does not mean that he or she will not die by suicide. So, again, stay with the person as much as possible

Always take suicidal comments very seriously

Try not to act shocked

While you are waiting for professional help to arrive (or if there is no emergency)

Listen attentively to everything that the person has to say

Comfort the person with words of encouragement

Let the person know that you are deeply concerned

If the person is at a high risk of suicide, do not leave him or her alone

Talk openly about suicide

If the person talks about using a firearm that he or she owns for suicide, call the police so they may remove the firearms

Don't be judgmental

Be careful of the statements that you make

Listen, listen, and listen. Be gentle, kind, and understanding

Let the person express emotion in the way that he or she wants

After the person has received help and is no longer critically suicidal, help the person make an appointment with a medical doctor and a therapy

Before you leave the person, make sure that he or she has received professional help from qualified mental health professionals or that the risk of suicide has dissipated

If someone tells you that you need to keep his or her suicidal intentions a secret, then you never can keep that "secret".

Follow up with the person on a regular basis to make sure that he or she is doing okay

When in doubt about what to do, call 100 immediately. Be safe