This photo is of a local young man’s gravesite that was the result of a suicide. He went to school with my sons and every time I drove by my heart goes out to the family. That’s why I’ve written this post on suicide awareness here.
When I heard on the radio the other day that World Suicide Day was coming up on September 10th I had to take a picture and share it. Maybe we can prevent another one from happening.
There have been at least 5 in the past several years in the town I lived in and many were friends with my sons.
No one should have to go through with these families have been through. That’s why I decided to update this blog post as another recent suicide happened in my old neighborhood.
Table of Contents
Everyday Should Be World Suicide Prevention Day
According to WHO almost 1 million people a year die from suicide throughout the world. In the last 45 years alone suicide has increased a whopping 60%.
That’s a lot! It is the top 3 leading cause of death of those aged 15-45 in some countries. Suicide rates were among the highest in the male elderly but that has changed to the younger age set.
Mental disorders are a major factor in all these suicides.
Other factors include Alcoholism, family history, terminal illness, stressful event or loss of someone close, (does not have to be death, the above ones I believe were break-ups with girlfriends).
As well as isolation as more people work from home in the past few years, exposure to others doing it, and a history of trauma or abuse.
Signs To Watch For When Someone Is Suicidal:
- Lack of interest in their daily activities.
- The decline in grades if in school.
- Misconduct in school or work.
- Repeated and unexplained absences from work or school.
- Excessive use of drugs, alcohol, or smoking.
- Withdrawal from friends.
- Self-hate.
- Frequent complaints about not feeling well – headaches, stomachaches, and fatigue.
- Talking about suicide – saying that they wish they were dead.
- Loss of independence in older people.
- Getting affairs in order – saying goodbyes and making out a will and giving away prized possessions.
- Sudden calmness after being depressed- means they may have decided to go through with committing suicide.
What Can YOU Do To Help Prevent Suicide?
- Talk to them if you suspect they are suicidal – ask what you can do to help or if they want to seek help.
- Make them know they are NOT alone.
- Let them know you may NOT understand it but are THERE For them.
- LISTEN – Sometimes they need someone to just LISTEN.
- Be sympathetic and NON-judgmental.
- Ask if they have a suicide plan so you can access the risk.
- Do everything in your power to get them professional help – call a crisis line for advice.
- Call them daily to see how they are – don’t wait for them to call you.
- Donate to causes to prevent suicide and spread awareness.
Since My Last Post in 2012
Since writing this original blog post back in 2012 I have been to more funerals for those that have committed suicide. This cause is near and dear to my heart.
The Hotline numbers to call:
1-800-SUICIDE
1-800-784-2433
1-800-273-8255
To Conclude Suicide Awareness
Let’s see if we can prevent one more suicide from happening today. Do you have more to add to the lists above? Please leave them in the comments below.
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Hi Lisa,
What an unfortunate event. The pain of those who take such a decision is something most of us would never be able to understand. I had family members commit suicide. It leaves you thinking. But I have learned that communication is key here. You have to let your loved ones know they are never alone and no matter what, they can trust. It’s about working to get closer to each other as human beings. It is the distance that I feel makes people drift away into suicide.
Thanks for the share to bring up awareness!
Regards.
Hi Freddy, yes, that’s for sure. Thanks for your input and advice on this on Freddy. Sometimes, I’m not sure if we will ever know the answers to this one. You are welcome and take care.
Hello Lisa,
Depression is a big reason for suicidal tendencies. Depression is a silent killer. We need to observe some symptoms in the patient which you have mentioned in this post. A few months back I also suffer from depression but thanks to my family, they notice it earlier, and after a few medications and family support, I was back to normal life. Thanks again for this helpful post.
Regards,
Vishwajeet Kumar
Hi Vishwajeet, yes, it is a big reason for sure. I have seen it in my family too over the years. Being isolated and lack of activities one enjoys I think is a huge factor as well. Keeping busy and active helps too. Thanks for your input on this one and glad you are doing better Vishwajeet.
Very informative post Lisa . We should be more sensitive towards people around us .
Thank you Sweta, yes, sensitivity can go a long way.
Hi Lisa
Thank you for the article on sucide.
One of the traumatic events that can and sometime does lead to sucide, is bullying.
Yes I believe we can stop the climbing numbers of people committing sucide. it will take a team effort, but it can happen.
Thank you
Gladys posted The Perfect Pathway to connect to God
You are welcome Gladys, the sad thing is 2 more have died from it that I know since I wrote this post. I sure hope there will be no more.
Hi Lisa,
How very sad! It breaks my heart to know that people who are still so young are so alone and so desperate that they don’t see any other way out of it then to take their own life. It’s especially heartbreaking for the parents, because they will be questioning themselves for the rest of their lives. I’m glad you shared this post and I hope indeed that it will help to save lives.
Ilka
Hi Ilka, yes it surely is. Thanks for coming by and maybe sharing to help others to prevent anymore from happening.
It’s really sad to know that the percentage of the suicide cases had increased.
I hope we can really focus on this problem and help the world lessen this case.
May all the souls who committed suicide be at peace!
Thank you Maris. It really is sad.
Hi Lisa!
it is terrible that many people mostly young to get suicide or attempt to suicide due to frustration or other tension .this is sensitive case which is increasing day by day.but we should be supportive to these mens and keen and hear to their problem and getting solution.i think most of us care of it to read this blog.
thanks for sharing this blog.
Thanks for coming by and commenting Anshul and sharing about this one.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for posting this. In 2005, we had a friend stop by our house to say he was just not coping. Things were not going well with a girl that he was having a baby with because he wanted to get married and she was not sure that she wanted too at this stage. He talked to my husband a long time who is a mental health professional. Later that evening, we drove by his home, to find the door open, all the lights on, lucky through a little searching we found out he had checked into a local hotel. He was found in time, but he is not the same. Suicide is not the answer. And even though she did stick by him when he first left the hospital, he did not accomplish his end result, to get her to marry him or make her suffer because was not sure. The sad side of this story is he will still not really trying to get himself in a better place. But as a good friend, I still feel it our responsibility to be there for him when he needs an ear.
I know that a lot of people tend to pull away from their friends when they appear to be grieving. To give them space. I have always felt that was the time that you need to extend your hand a little bit more. A person may not take you up on the offer of listening or helping but just knowing that you are there and you care could be the difference between the scene in your photos and life.
Thank you so much for your personal story on this Cynthia. Sounds like listening and helping out is the key here. I hope he will find a better place.
Hi Lisa,
Nice one and time sensitive topic. I believe LISTENING is the BIGGEST thing sometimes we can do. People tend not to listen and ignore people as crazy ones. Well, we would do that if we don’t care what’s going on with him/her. But we need to pay attention to our surroundings and a small donation of our time can save a life. It doesn’t mean to listen everyone but we feel if someone is really in trouble and learning about suicidal intends and related symptoms are very helpful. A person IGNORING others mean IGNORANCE inside the person.
Cheers…
Thanks for posting the great information. A year ago, a seventeen-year old kid in my neighborhood, left his house in the morning in bare feet, wearing his pajamas. A local alert was issued and first responders descended upon the area to search the woods. Hours later, they found the boy, dead, hanging from a tree branch with a cord wrapped around his neck. Heartbreaking!
It’s very sad. You just never know what people are going through. It seems to be happening everywhere too.
Thank you for sharing this post. Young people ending their lives is so tragic!
Thanks for coming by and hope you will share to hopefully save someone’s life.
I remember in high school, one of my classmates attempted suicide. She was unsuccessful but til this day, still has emotional issues. It’s truly sad that people resort to suicide as a way to escape pain.
Yes, I have found it so heartbreaking and I cannot imagine what the parents go through. Thanks for commenting today Brenda.