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Click the picture to watch a video regarding SUICIDE and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
I n t r o d u c t i o n
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Suicide is defined as doing anything that causes one's death in the manner intended, whether to end one's life or to achieve some other condition of affairs (such as relief from pain) that one believes is certain or highly likely to be reached only through death. Suicidal acts (or "gestures," as they are frequently referred to) must be separated from other self-harming, self-injurious, or para-suicide acts and gestures, which are likewise purposeful but not meant to result in death. Cutting or burning oneself are common self-injurious activities.
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUICIDE
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUICIDE
Biological Contributions
Suicidal behavior might be considered a poor stress tolerance. Our response to stress is influenced not just by psychological factors, but also by our physiology, which influences how we deal with stressful events. Personality refers to a set of qualities (known as attributes) that people exhibit through time and in different settings. Individual variations in attention, arousal, and response to new or novel stimuli are made up of learned qualities and genetically based individual variances in personality (called temperament).
Other persons who commit suicide have a personality that is "impulsive/aggressive" (also known as "negativistic/avoidant/antisocial"). In the absence of a mood condition like depression or anxiety, these people have trouble managing their emotions, particularly anger, and are more likely than the people described above to commit suicide.
Antisocial personality disorder (a long-term pattern of contempt for other people's rights, breaching laws, deception, impatience and aggression, reckless disregard for self or others' safety, constant irresponsibility) is frequently diagnosed in persons with this temperament type. People who are "impulsive/aggressive" seek thrills, therefore they frequently engage in dangerous conduct, make bad and/or quick decisions, and misuse alcohol and/or other substances. Abuse is common among children with this temperament type (particularly sexual abuse).
Sociocultural Contributions
Suicide rates are influenced by sociocultural influences on several levels. Individual factors (e.g., demographic characteristics, life stressors, coping skills, and the biological dimensions linked to suicide described earlier) as well as whether an individual's family, community and country are supportive or stressful play a role in whether their surroundings have a positive or negative impact.
This involves:
Social Assistance
Group membership
Social Norm
The Enigma of Self-Injury
When it comes to mental illness, self-injury (when someone cuts, burns, or otherwise hurts themselves) is one of the more difficult behaviors to grasp. Self-injury is often violent and scary, making it difficult for people to think about what these acts mean. You may become concerned if you encounter someone who is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds or is scarred. Panic affects thinking and makes it more difficult for people to understand why they harm themselves.
Why Do People Self-Injure?
Why Do People Self-Injure?
So, why do individuals hurt themselves? What are they attempting to achieve by injuring themselves? The following list of six motives appears to encompass the majority of the events described by persons who self-injure.
To regain /shift attention
To release tension
To return from numbness
To express/communicate pain
To self-punish
To experience euphoria
Suicide Warning Signs
Suicide Warning Signs
Suicide is not a mental illness rather it is a serious potential consequence of treatable mental disorders. Below are the potential warning signs for suicide:
Severe sadness or moodiness- Appearing depressed or sad most of the time. (Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide.)
Threatening or talking about death or killing oneself
Making preparations- visiting love ones, sending personal things, writing a will, buying harmful things that may be used to end life.
Withdrawal -being distant to friends and family, avoiding the things that once the person enjoyed and interested.
Sleep problems – sleeping too much or too little
The emotion of a suicidal person is unpredictable
Myths vs. Facts: Suicide
Common misconceptions about suicide
How to Approach a Suicidal Person?
How to Approach a Suicidal Person?
Appropriately approaching someone that is suicidal is absolutely crucial. Hence, the following contents will serve as a compass in responding with a suicidal individual.
Dos in Approaching a Suicidal Person
Talk to them
Simple and proper conversations with a suicidal person will certainly lend a hand to them. Ask them what they feel and think about living and dying. Try to look at their reasons for living purposely. In connection, ask them if they have felt like this before. If so, ask how their feelings changed in the previous time. Ask them if they have a plan for ending their life and what the plan is. It is better to address the person’s feelings directly rather than avoiding the issue. Asking about suicide won’t make it more probable to happen.
Listen to them
At times, being with them as a sincere and non-judgmental listener is enough. Do not criticize and blame them for what difficulties they have. Also, repeat what they tell back to them in your own words. This proves that you are listening vigilantly. Repeating the details can also assure that you have understood them accurately. Listening to what they have to say will at least let them know you care.
Empathize with them
Remember that you don’t need to find an answer, or even to completely understand why they feel the way they do. When they share their feelings, thoughts, and experiences; say something like, “I can’t imagine how painful this is for you, but I would like to try to understand.”
Show care for them
Small gestures of concern like greeting “hello” or asking “how are you today?” can create a huge difference in how someone is feeling. This shows that there are people that care about them, that they are not alone. Make time to bond with them, follow up on any commitment that you agree to. In addition, make sure that someone is with them if they are in immediate danger.
Reassure them
Reassure them that everything on earth is temporary. Thus, they will not feel this way forever. Encourage them to focus on getting through the day rather than focusing on the future. Tell them that He is always with us even in the toughest times of our lives, He will not let us lose our battles.
Seek Help
Find someone who can support to deal with their feelings, which they are comfortable with such as accessing support from the doctor or counselor, or support through a charity such as the Samaritans. Professional help like mental health services or emergency services is also recommended. Hotlines are available on different sites and platforms.
Don't s in Approaching a Suicidal Person
These responses are doubtful to be helpful in talking with someone with suicidal thoughts:
Try and find an easy solution
It is a long process, there are no shortcuts. And we have to accept that. Though, we need to make them realize that there are always solutions to every problem.
Tell them to ‘cheer up’, ‘pull themselves together’, ‘man up’ or ‘snap out of it’
Let them cry and express what they truly feel rather than ordering them to feel better.
Change the subject
Do not avoid the topic, instead address it.
Tell them that they shouldn’t feel like that
Each people have their own reasons why they feel such things. Also, different people have different reactions and tolerance.
Tell them that they should be grateful for having a good life
It is like telling them to ignore what they feel.
Tell them that they are being silly
Suicide is a serious matter; do not take it as a joke.
Suicide Prevention Hotlines
Suicide Prevention Hotlines
If you know someone who is in need of help, Please do call these numbers.
REMEMBER THAT,
Suicide is not the answer,
Seeking help is the answer.
But if you don’t want to call any of the suicide hotlines provided above, then please read on…
Welcome, our friend. We just want to remind you that you are not alone in this battle, you have us, ready and willing to help you. We are very pleased that you are here. Always remember that there is nothing more important in this world than your life. We want you to know that things will get better soon, the emotions that are causing your suicidal thoughts will pass. If you are in pain right now, remember that your judgment is just being clouded by what you feel. If you are considering doing suicide because you want to stop the unbearable pain you’re experiencing, please do not be confused about ending your pain with ending your life. These two are different. We just want to say that you are worthy and love. There are options to choose from, just please do not end your life. You can seek help, medication, consulting doctors, or if you can’t afford at least talk to someone who will listen to you, and the hotline above will be a great help.
Reflection
Reflection
Taking one's own life on purpose. We've often wondered what goes through their heads when they take their final few breaths. We're worried they are tormented with remorse. Unless, of course, there was a swift getaway, such as a head-shot. Still, who knows? In any case, our take on suicide is that it is a long-term solution to a short-term problem. Then, and only then, can the legitimacy of a judgment be assessed subjectively rather than objectively? We can never really comprehend another person's thoughts and motivations for executing suicide. Suicide may appear to most people to be a cowardly act, but we believe it is a cruel sentence. After all, attempting suicide requires a great deal of bravery. Personally, we don't believe we have enough bravery to attempt suicide. Though we don't condemn self-murderers, it's not an action I'd suggest since, as you know, life has a strange way of working things out, no matter how hopeless things appear.
The Truth about Teen Depression
Doing suicide is not the answer to getting rid of the pain that we feel inside, there is always an option to end this suffering, and those choices don’t include suicide. Seek help and we should also be ready to help. Open our ears to listen to someone who is having a hard time in life because we never know how their thoughts may lead them to something serious. This reminds me to check my friends and family members on how and what they have been feeling in life, especially now that things are uncertain, our simple ‘how are you feeling' means a lot to everyone.
His words didn’t mention suicide, but He made clear about the sacredness of life. Most of us probably know about the fifth commandment which tells us that killing is forbidden. Moreover, Corinthians 6:19-20 expresses that we are not the owner of our body because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Honoring Him can be reflected through taking care of ourselves. Feed, embrace, and love our bodies. Didn’t you realized that if we borrow things from other people, we take care of it. Therefore, we must apply it as well when we feel to hurt our flesh. Our body-wrist, neck, head, breath belongs to the Maker. Thus, we do not have the right to end it for our own purposes.
For those who witnessed suicide and didn’t able to save that person, do not blame yourselves, it is not your fault. And for those who use the word “commit’ referring to those who did end their own lives, STOP. The word commit is used for crimes. As Mark Henick in TEDx Talks mentioned, suicide is not a crime, but a mental health concern. However, it is still a SIN. Instead of hanging yourself, why not just hang in?
References
References
Joiner, T. (2007). Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press.
Casarella,J. (2020). Recognizing Suicidal Behavior. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/recognizing-suicidal-behavior#1
Caruso,K. Suicide,Org. Suicide Prevention, support and prevention. http://www.suicide.org/if-you-are-suicidal.html
Dale, E. et. al (2018) Ethical Perspectives on Suicide and Prevention. Retrieve from content://com.sec.android.app.sbrowser/readinglist/0620181426.mhtml
Defining Suicide. Mental Help Defining Suicide Comments. (n.d.). https://www.mentalhelp.net/suicide/defining-suicide/.
Gearing, R. et. al. Suicide Assessment and Treatment, 2nd edition. Retrieve from content://com.sec.android.app.sbrowser/readinglist/0620183901.mhtml
How to Support Someone with Suicidal Thoughts. Rethink Mental Illness (n.d.). https://tinyurl.com/kxydk3bp
Is it Worthy to End your Life just to Stop the Pain?
SUICIDE - INFORMATIVE VIDEO
SUICIDE - INFORMATIVE VIDEO
(YURI LASLAS)
Suicide is a sensitive topic especially here in the Philippines because we are a Christian country. Some of you may have relatives, friends, or neighbors who kill their selves or attempt suicide. This is tragic news for us.
According to the World Health Organization, every year, 703 000 individuals take their own lives, and many more make suicide attempts.
Learn more about SUICIDE by watching the informative video below.
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