Monday, September 9, 2013

Suicide Prevention


"Suicide is a leading cause of death among college students."

Suicide Prevention Week is observed from Sept. 8 - Sept. 14.  Since this overlaps with our course discussion of stress, I thought it would be a good way to raise awareness while applying course topics.

Should you choose to complete this assignment for course credit, please do the following:
  • Read this information, courtesy of the Minnesota 4-H.
  • Also, read this information posted through your myU portal.
  • How are stress and suicide related?
  • What are some warning signs of suicidal ideation?
  • What can you do to help someone with suicidal ideation?
If you're interested, here is a really great video from somebody struggling with depression and has contemplated committing suicide.  I think this video is great because it shows you that what you see on the outside is not always what somebody is feeling on the inside.  He also discusses the stigma surrounding depression.  Give it a look!
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If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal ideation, please utilize the resources and services available on the bottom of the myU portal link or below:

Psychological Services Center (free for USD students)
South Dakota Union #112
Department of Psychology
Phone: 605.677.5354

Student Counseling Center (free for USD students)
Cook House
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: 605.677.5777
Fax: 605.677.6226
scc@usd.edu 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 1.800.273.8255
Emergencies - call 911 (if on campus, dial 9-911)
University Police Department - 605.677.5342

27 comments:

  1. Stress and suicide are related because the higher the stress levels are the more susceptible you are to having suicidal thoughts. During stressful times we often search for comfort and when that comfort can’t be found people start to believe that suicide is the only option.

    Some signs that suicide might be on their mind is threatening to kill themselves, giving away stuff that means a lot to them, talking like there is no hope for their future, and acting like no one cares about them.

    People who have the thought of suicide just simply need some guidance in the right direction. Just by asking direct questions can help to start figuring things out. You also need to listen to what the person in saying and take it all seriously. Don’t debate with them weather what they are doing in right or wrong because it will just start something that doesn’t need to be started at that specific moment. Remember to not leave that person alone. Help them to find someone who can help them. These are all major steps into being able to get that person that is thinking about suicide to reconsider.

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  2. High levels of stress and suicide are directly related. Students in college experience high amounts of stress, and they also have a corresponding high suicide rate. For example, college students need to adapt to a new and independent lifestyle, create new social contacts, be successful academically, and balance other responsibilities. Stress can take a toll on a person’s mental health. This is especially the case if the stress is major or lasting for long periods of time. A few examples of major stressors are the death of a loved one, a stressful romantic relationship, or failing at school to name a few. However, it is important to remember stress effects everyone differently and it is totally subjective. Stress can lead to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. People that are more likely to commit suicide typically have a mental illness.

    Warning signs of suicidal ideation may be verbal or nonverbal. Some verbal warning signs include a person claiming that life isn’t worth living, claiming their life is hopeless or worthless, offering to give people prized possessions, or make direct mention of suicide or death. Some nonverbal warning signs include withdrawing from friends or activities, giving away prized possessions, not being able to sleep or sleeping too much, change in eating habits, and an unusual change in activities. Things that can be done to help someone that is suicidal is listen to them first a foremost. While listening to someone, don’t try to convince them that their feelings are wrong. Also, do not ignore warning sign or leave someone alone that is suicidal. Even if it is difficult to do, forcing a friend to get help and not keeping their feelings a secret could save their life.

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  3. Suicide is something that occurs way to often in young people. Suicide and stress are related because the more stress you have caused from school, bad relationships, or work the more likely you are to have suicidal thoughts that may progress to suicide if something is not done to alleviate or lessen the stress. While everybody encounters stress sometime in their life, there are some people who experience it on a regular basis at an extremely high level, and feel like the only way to escape it is to take their own life.

    While many times the warning signs are not noticed until it is too late, a few of the warning signs that someone may be suicidal are that the person may begin to give his/her personal belongings away. He/she may avoid his/her friends and social activities. The person's grade may also begin to suffer. The final warning signs of a suicidal person are that the person may begin to make comments that "the world would be a better place without them" or "actually making threats to harm himself/herself."

    The first thing that you should do to help someone who is suicidal is to never leave them alone. If you suspect that someone is suicidal stay with them because they are less likely to commit suicide is someone is there. You also need to talk with the person to let them know that you do care and that you are there to help them, but do not minimize their feelings of hopelessness because to them, the feelings are real. Finally, seek help. Whether it be by referring the person to a helpline, contacting the person's family, or in serious cases contact the police who will be able to commit the person on a involuntary psychiatric hold. Many people do not want to see their friend get committed, but you have to remember that it may be the only way your friend will get help, and the hold is only temporary until the professionals believe that the person is no longer a threat to himself/herself.

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  4. Stress is very common in people who commit or show signs of suicide. When people get stressed out they don't see the good things in their life. They only see the things that caused all the stress and think if they get away from it their life will be better. Rather than actually moving away from it they take their own life.

    Some very common warning signs for a person who is thinking about suicide is they start giving away valuable things. They stop caring about how they look, they will wear the same clothes for days in a row and not bathe. Other warning signs are people make sure they have a will, and some even go to the fact of making a living will stating they don't want to be left on Life Support if something would happen to them. Some of these may be seem easy to pickup on but they are not. The person that is thinking suicide isn't going to give everything away a once because that shows everyone something is going on. They also plan out their will and Living Will with someone they don't know and usually in a different town then they live in.

    If you think someone you know is going to try suicide, you need to talk to them, help them get through whatever is causing the problem. Listen to them and make them know you are there to help. If they are really close to commit suicide and you can't stop them, and don't think anyone else is going to be able to help them, call the local police department. They can get this person into a 72-hour hold and try to get them the help that they need. Don't ever hesitate to call law enforcement if you know someone is super close to trying suicide. They might hate you at the moment you do it but after they get some help they will be very thankful to you for getting them the help they needed.

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  5. Stress and suicide are related because the more stressed out the person may be the more at risk they are for suicidal thoughts. When a person gets too stressed out they might think there is no way out of their problems and suicide is the only way to feel better. Some signs of suicide ideation might be harming oneself, giving away prized possessions, feeling helpless or hopeless, or even making a plan to attempt suicide. The best you can do for a person with suicide ideation is to be there for them. Be a listening ear and let them talk to you about it without you judging them. I used to work in suicide prevention and they always told us to not give advice to a suicidal person. Just listen to them and be the caring and helpful friend. It would probably be best to get them to talk to a person with experience and to not leave them alone even if they say they are okay.

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  6. Stress may lead to suicide. When a person feels overwhelmed, tense, fearful, angry, like things are out of control, deserted, alone, and like their life is hard to manage they may act in suicidal ways. They may feel like they cannot do anything right and all of the stress they are experiencing may lead to suicide.

    Some warning signs of suicidal ideation are avoiding friends, activities, school, and social events. The person is totally unable to think of anything but the problem, or they may have unexpected outburst of anger or crying. Some other signs are unable to sleep, unable to eat, escape by sleeping, severe behavior changes, person becoming withdrawn, and excessive use of drugs or alcohol. Some suicide danger signals are threats or talk of killing themselves, preparing for death, talking like there is no hope even in the future, acting or talking like not a single person cares, and completely giving up on themselves and others.

    To help a friend or someone you know with suicidal ideation, a person needs to take the problem seriously, don’t put them down, encourage them to talk to other people as well as to you, offer to join in on some activities, and let them know you care. To help, a person can also connect, listen, understand, express concern, and seek help. If a person threatens to commit suicide; take the threat seriously, do not agree to keep suicide thoughts or threats a secret, don’t try to call their bluff, and let them know you care that they are alive.

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  7. Stress can be hard on people and sometimes they feel like they can’t handle everything that is going on. Stress can cause some people to think that life’s to hard and that it would be easier to not deal with it. When people get to that point they can start to contemplate suicide, because the stress is too much and they are just not happy.
    Warning signs of suicide consists of the person giving away prized possessions, saying that no one cares and there is no hope in the future. Some not so extreme signs, but still very important to notice are, avoidance of friends for a long period of time, always thinking about the problem, excessive drug or alcohol use, and unexpected outbursts.
    Someone with suicide ideation needs to know that someone cares and wants to help them. You should talk to them about it and find out what’s going on. Let them know that you care what happens to them and there’s a place in this world for them and that things will get better eventually.

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  8. Stress is often times related to suicide. The more stress a person encounters, sometimes, but not all the time suicide seems like a way out of the stress. A lot of times college students experience a drastic change or a bad breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or miss home and then they experience high stress levels. Sometimes, people just cannot deal with the stress anymore and end up turning to suicide. This can happen with things like divorce, financial problems, or the death of a loved one.

    In most suicide circumstances, there is usually some sort of a warning sign or signs. If someone is talking about how they think they have no future or if they begin to avoid their family and friends, then that is a definite warning sign. Another warning sign would be if somebody would begin to give away their possessions or things that where important to them. Turning to drugs and drinking or having lots of angry or emotional outburts is another sign. Even if someone is giving the warning signs, there is still ways that they can be helped. To help someone who is thinking suicidal is to always make sure that they know how important they are to you and how much you like that they are here. Another thing is to join the person in activity that they enjoy and to encourage them and not put them down. Suicide is not something that should be taken lightly and from personal experience you should never judge somebody on how they are feeling because you never will understand, you can only try and help.

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  9. With high levels of stress running through your mind and body, you may think that giving up is the only answer and that is where suicide can play a major role. One starts to think about the consequences of there stressful situations and then doubt starts to dwindle into the mind. Its hard to not be pessimistic when it seems like you can never get ahead in life but always know that everyone is struggling with something and you are not alone.
    Some typical warning signs that someone is suffering is they will try to avoid contact with people they care for most, constantly thinking about their problem, severe behavior change, and the substance abuse of drugs or alcohol. Once those behaviors have started to become apparent and they are thinking about an act of suicide. The individual will start to make threats or talks about killing themselves, giving away personal items, and finally giving up on themselves.
    I know that sometimes people think that giving up is the only answer but it truly is not the way. The best advice is to talk to someone about the issue that is keeping you depressed and know that they are there to listen. As the listener, never put that individual down, always console in their pain and be sincere. This problem is real for them and let them know you care. You can be the individual that turns their whole life around. I am actively involved with the USD Lost and Found: Suicide Prevention and Awareness chapter here on campus. As an organization, our goal is to spread awareness about suicide on our college campus. We are not a counseling service but an organization that is taking a step towards letting people know that they are important. If one were to commit suicide, we provide donations to the family for funeral expenses, etc. I have never personally been impacted by the act of suicide but this organization is truly doing amazing things to spread awareness. If you are interested at all about Lost and Found, we hold meetings every Thursday night in Old Main room 106 at 7pm.

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  10. Stress and suicide are related because often stress leads to suicide. Someone who experienced or is experiencing a difficult or traumatic life event may feel that they cannot escape the troubled feelings and lose hope.
    Some warning signs of suicide are social avoidance, sole concentration to the problem, sleeping too much or little,outbursts of crying or aggression,overuse of alcohol or drugs, or simply stating they want to kill themselves.
    The best thing to do for someone who is contemplating suicide is to listen and show that you care. Take interest in their problems and help them overcome them. Go with them to counseling if needed or participate with them in activities they enjoy. You can direct them to support groups or help lines.By showing them that they are not alone you are giving them another reason to live.

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  11. Stress can play a huge role in suicide. Stress can often lead to suicide. Stress can be so debilitating and overwhelming, that to the individual it seems as though it is there only way out. There are several warning signs to suicide. For example, a person may become socially introverted, have issues with substance abuse and even begin giving away valuable possessions. As a friend, the best thing to do is to listen and offer help. Find a counseling center that they feel comfortable going too. Lastly, stress that he or she is not alone.

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  12. Suicidal people can be under a lot of stress and they are suicidal because they feel like they have no way to get out of it. Being overwhelmed can go hand in hand with depression. There can be many things on someone’s plate, causing them with the feelings of there’s no way out. It can be stress from your family, friends, work, school, or even relationships. All of them contribute to how a person feels about their life and where they think it’s going.
    Some warning signs of suicide are when someone mentions that life isn’t worth living, nobody cares about them, or they talk about killing themselves. They could even start giving away their prized possessions or start writing a will. Smaller signals could be unable to eat or sleep, avoiding friends, activities, and social events. Ways to help someone who has these signs are to simply talk to them about it and just listen to what they have to say. They are crying for help and you giving them that attention lets them know that you care. Giving them attention isn’t the only thing you should do. Getting help for higher authority is needed, because even if you don’t think it’s important, it is huge to the victim. Not doing anything is the worst thing to do, because if the person follows through with suicide, you wouldn’t be able to bear thinking that you could’ve prevented that from happening.

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  13. The more stress you have in your life the easier it is to consider suicide. Maybe you have dug yourself a hole in school, work, or wherever and the only way out you can see is to end your life. Stress is a big factor in suicide. Some signs that someone is considering suicide would be if they talk about ending their life, they prepare for it by giving away their possessions or saying good-bye, saying their is no hope, or acting like nobody cares. There are things you can do to help if you think you know someone who might be suicidal. First of all don't put them down. You need to let them know you care and encourage them to talk to others as well as you.

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  14. Stress can take a toll on a persons mental and physical state. When someone is stressed out, it can cause them to withdraw from those around them which can lead to depression. Once someone becomes depressed they can begin to have thoughts of giving up and thinking they are not worthy of being here which can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. Suicidal thoughts and actions caused by stress can derive from family issues, death of a loved one, or a major move to a new city or state. Warning signs of suicidal thoughts include sleeping less or too often, lack of interest in friends and social events, school performance declines, and making statements that say their life isn't worthwhile, etc. There are many things that you can do to help someone with suicidal ideation. I believe the most important thing you can do for someone who is battling suicidal thoughts is to be there for them; listening and making that person feel like they are important that someone would miss them if they would go through with suicide.

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  15. Stress can play a large role when it comes to a person contemplating suicide. When a person is dealing with a great amount of stress, they may feel that it is too much for them to deal with and that it will never get better. This can lead to a person giving thoughts to committing suicide because they may feel that there is no other way out. There can be signs of suicide that can be bother verbal and/or nonverbal. In a verbal aspect, a person may be constantly talking about how upset they are or how their life is not worth living anymore. Another verbal sign is that person giving away some of their most treasured and personal items. Some nonverbal signs can include a person becoming completely withdrawn from their friends and family. There can be things that a person can do to help a person through these suicidal thoughts. One of the best things a person can do it to simply listen to the person and be understanding of what they are going though. You can also get that person help by getting them to a counselor that can give them professional help. All of this can show a person with suicidal thoughts that they are loved and that their life has meaning.

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  16. The more stress a person has the more likely they are to be depressed. The more depressed someone gets, the more likely they are to have suicidal ideation. Since college is a time of change and redefinition, stress is high and suicide ideation, unfortunately, also high.
    The warning signs of suicide include becoming more isolated by avoiding friends, family, and enjoyable activities, talking of death and dying, saying statements like the world being “better without them,” “nobody would notice if I were gone tomorrow,” and “nobody would even care...”Also, giving away of prized possessions, severe personality changes, and excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs are things to take notice of and ask questions about your friends mental well being.

    The best way to help someone who is feeling suicidal is to be there for them, listen to their problems and take them seriously, and get them to some help. As much as we'd like to be able to solve all of our friends problems with a push of a button, suicidal ideation is way too hard of a problem to solve by ourselves. Encourage them to seek counseling and talk to other people besides you like a priest or trusted family member. If they're not willing to go to counseling right away, be sure that their not actively suicidal and try to get them to agree to consider going with you to talk to someone at a later date. As the articles said, never leave an actively suicidal person alone. Also, try to remember that they were suicidal before they talked to you, so anything that may or may not happen after they talk to is never going to be your fault. All we can try to do is help and take the situation seriously.

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  17. Stress and suicide are related in many ways and some include getting overwhelmed, getting into fights or a death of a family member or friend. They coincide because when you are overwhelmed you sometimes can’t see the light, ignore friends, and get depressed if the events are too overwhelming to deal with. There are three ways of reacting to the stressful problem and one of them can lead to depression and suicide the most, withdrawing. It is also a sign of suicide and that includes excessive drinking, being alone, taking drugs or stopping communication with others. If you are alone with a problem, depression and anger may become worse because you feel as if no one cares.

    People believe that suicide is a random act and that it can’t be prevented, but that is wrong because there are many verbal and non-verbal warning signs of suicide. Some of the non-verbal signs are giving away personal items, increased drug or alcohol use, lack of interest in friends and social activities, loss of concentration, and severe behavior change. A few verbal warnings are saying that no one cares, life isn’t worthwhile, everything seems to be going wrong, unexpected outburst of anger or crying, and threats or talk of killing themselves.

    Now that those warnings are stated, there are many ways of helping a person if they are thinking of committing suicide. First off, you should take the problem seriously because even if it isn’t that big of a deal, it may be very important to that person. You should also encourage them to talk to other people but when they do talk to you, listen carefully and pay close attention to what they are saying. Let them know you care about them and help them seek help from a professional or adult figure. This is a very serious matter and they should never be left alone, especially if they confessed their thoughts of suicide to you.

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  18. Stress can result in different reactions in different people, some of which may lead to feeling of withdrawal and hopelessness. If a person is attempting to deal with stress on their own without the support of friends or family members, they may become overwhelmed and give up on ever finding a solution. Once someone begins to withdraw from others due to overwhelming stress, the situation can only become worse. We need to be able to share with others and support one other.
    Warning signs of suicidal ideation include withdrawing from family and friends, increased alcohol consumption, depression/sadness, a lack of interest in social activities, expressing absolute hopelessness with an inability to foresee hope in the future, giving away personal items or writing a will, and saying goodbye.
    To help someone with suicidal thoughts, take their problem seriously and listen to them, express concern and let them know you and others care. Invite them to share their thoughts with a professional who can better help.

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  19. When I think about someone attempting suicide or committing suicide, I automatically wonder what was stressing them out so badly that they tried to take their lives or did take their life. Suicidal thoughts could be caused by the stress of the end of a relationship, stress of school, stress of how to cope with losing a loved one, etc. In my opinion, stress has a tremendous relation to suicide. A person struggling with the thought of suicide could show a number of signs. Having a lack of interest in school, social life, friends or anything in general is a good warning sign. Also sleeping more than usual or depending on alcohol or drugs to “get away” more than usual should be an obvious sign. Those are some warning signs as well as the person coming out and saying negative thoughts about themselves could be possible signs of suicide in a person. To help a person cope with suicidal thoughts, all you can really do is talk and listen to the person as well as take every warning sign seriously. Most importantly never leave the person alone with these thoughts and get help immediately.

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  20. Last Friday, the 13th, the University of South Dakota (Lost and Found) had 106 individuals represent the 101 people that commit suicide each day. If you volunteered to wear a shirt, you remained silent for the whole day to raise awareness. Since I am a Community Advisor in college and was a Natural Helper in high school, I have been to multiple trainings to prevent or recognize the symptoms of suicide. These trainings also prepared me to know what to do when someone is thinking about hurting himself or herself. Suicidal thoughts can come about for various reasons including the following: depression, psychotic behavior, impulse, mistakes, desire to die, and stress.

    Sometimes, people feel like the only way to get away from a stressor or multiple stressors is to put an end to their life. They feel like it is the only escape and that no one would miss them or care. According to my training in college and high school along with readings from various articles, some warning signs that someone is contemplating suicide include feelings of hopelessness, anger, withdrawal, alcohol/drug use, and sleeping problems. Verbal or written cues are also common including statements about hurting themselves or writing about death. Other times, people with suicidal thoughts begin giving away their personal items or searching for a means to end their life. Another warning sign may be very dramatic mood changes or feelings of being trapped. If you notice any of these warning signs, it is important to ask the person if they are thinking about killing themselves or even hurting themselves. Then, you are to contact a professional. Some professionals to help the individuals with suicidal thoughts include therapists, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. If possible, it is comforting to walk the person to the professional or give them a ride. Never leave the person with suicidal thoughts alone; as that may be the time they commit suicide. If this happens in the dormitory, as a Community Advisor, I am supposed to contact the University Police Department and wait for them to arrive. You must refer the person, as you are a mandatory reporter. As the article mentioned, remember to use CLUES (Connect, Listen, Understand, Express Concern, Seek Help).

    The video was quite inspirational, because of how open he was. He said that every thirty seconds, someone takes his or her own life due to depression. To avoid suicidal thoughts in the first place, always let people know how much you care about them. Make the “unlovable” feel loved. This blog became very real to me again this weekend. Last year, one of my residents had suicidal thoughts, and just this weekend, another had the same kinds of thoughts.

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  21. Stress and suicide are related because when we feel stressed it is normally because we don't feel like we are performing up to standards or won't preform up to standards which can cause us to not feel like we amount to anything which can cause suicidal thoughts.

    Some warning signs of suicidal ideation are having a negative attitude about things that the person used to enjoy, even just saying things like 'I don't know why I try anymore' or 'I'd be better off dead'

    Ask them to talk to a professional, call the suicide hotline or contact the prevention group on campus. There are people out there who care. :)

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  22. I want to start off to say that USD Lost & Found did a day of silence on Friday, September 13. I was one of the 106 members who represented 101 people who commit suicide every day. Suicide can be prevented with people reaching out to those who are thinking about it.

    Stress and suicide relate to each other. Being stressed can lead people to attempt or even commit suicide. Stress can be from the end of a relationship, fear of growing up, fear of letting you or your family down, or anything else. This stress can have so much power that it takes over your life which often leads to depression which can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.

    There are numerous warnings signs that people can pick up on. Some include being antisocial, unable to eat or sleep, cannot get the thought out of your mind, behavioral changes, talking about it, and others. Some things may be hard to pick up on because sometimes it just depends on the day. However, if someone is continually doing some of these signs, it would be beneficial to talk to them and let a professional know.

    Reaching out and talking to someone can possibly save their life. Letting them know that you care about them will definitely help them. Also, listening, sometimes people just want to vent and talk to people. If someone has talked to you about thoughts of suicide, talk and listen to them, then contact someone immediately. Never leave the person alone and wait until help arrives.

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  23. As the video portrayed, suicide is a very real and prominent problem among all people. I think with everyone so determined to be the best of the best; frustration, stress and even suicide can become very real problems, very fast. If an individual doesn't meet his/her standards of excellence (or that of their peers, parents, etc.) he/she may become withdrawn of academic, social or everyday activities.

    If the stress continues without any recognizable improvement, that stress can grown and their outlook can become more and more negative until they feel like the best option would be suicide. Like i've said, withdrawal from events they normally enjoy, long stints of over/under sleeping, acting out in ways that don't fit their normal behavior patterns and drug or alcohol abuse are all signs that an individual is struggling with severe stress and/or depression.

    What is important to know if you do have a potentially suicidal friend/relative is that they are not "mentally Ill" as the video showed, we are all human beings, and we all know what it is to hurt. We cannot shun people with depression away because it makes us uncomfortable or is out of the norm. At this point that individual needs someone to relate too more than anything. We need to show that individual that we are there for them and they do matter. If our attempts to console them don't seem to work or we feel they are at serious risk of attempting suicide, never leave them alone in that state, there is the suicide prevention hotline as well as psychological and counseling centers on campus,

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  24. Stress and suicide are often related. The stress a person is feeling can either cause or worsen a person’s depression, which often leads them to suicide. Small stressors to a depressed person also may be just enough to push that person past their breaking point to a place where they feel they have no other way out. There are many warning signs that a person may be contemplating depression. These include giving away prized possessions, sleeping too much or too little, lack of interest in friends, saying things such as “people are better off without me”, or “I don’t want to be around anymore”. The main thing a person can do if they suspect someone is thinking about suicide is to take it seriously. Many people believe that if someone says they want to kill themselves they won’t. This is far from the truth. If the person will allow you find them help or go with them to get help.

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  25. Stress and suicide are related because the higher someones stress levels are the more likely they are to have suicidal thoughts. When a person starts becoming withdrawn from their family and friends, not eating or vomiting, being exhausted all the time and more can be warning signs. The best thing to do for someone who is having suicidal thoughts is get them help! Sometimes as a friend you can talk with them and spend as much time with them as possible and try to help but if for one second you believe you aren't helping enough call 911 or a suicide helpline. You need to let the person know you care about them and you being there really matters to you. Try to find out what has them down and what has caused the immense amount of stress in their life. Just reaching out to them may save their life, and save you from wishing you had while you read about their death in the paper or are at the funeral.

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  26. stress and suicide are closely related because stress fogs up the mind and when someone feels overwhelmed by stress they lose faith in there abilities and become depressed, and due to this mind state they cant clearly see any other way out. some of the signs of someone becoming suicidal are avoiding friends, activities and events, they seem to have lost all hope for the future, try to escape reality though excessive drug use or sleeping. the more obvious signs would be them talking about suicide as if it were an option, signs of them preparing for there death such as goodbye letters and the giving away of there prized possessions. ways to help someone would be by reaching out to them letting them know you really care and that you are there to help them when they need it. inspiring them to go out and have fun, do there favorite activity with them, and promote them to speak to a counselor about the problem.

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  27. Stress and suicide are related because with increased stress in one's life, so does the idea that there is less of an ability to cope with stress. With less of an ability to cope comes a greater sense of helplessness, leading to depression, which can often lead to suicide if left untreated. Some warning signs of suicide are withdrawal from activities and relationships, changes in behavior, such as eating or sleeping habits, involvement in conversation, lost interest in formerly enjoyed activities, setting affairs in order and giving away possessions, and the mentioning of suicide to others. The most helpful things others can do to aid a friend or loved one in times like these is to be supportive; not just tell them you're there for them, but show it. Do not only focus on explaining to them how much they mean to you, but remind them how much you want to be a part of their lives as well, by trying to spend more time involving yourself in their life, listening to what they have to say, and offering guidance. Urge them to seek counseling, as well, to add to their support in a professional way, on top of support from loved ones.

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