September: Suicide Prevention Month

The month of September is dedicated to National Suicide Awareness and serves as an important reminder that a person’s feelings and mental health matter. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among people aged from 10-31, and the fifth leading cause of death for people aged between 32-59. Part of the reason people turn a blind eye towards suicide is the stigma attached to it. Every year on National Suicide Prevention Month, mental health advocates, professionals, survivors, family, and friends worldwide share their experiences and work towards eradicating this act. Our job as mental health professionals is to raise awareness among the masses about suicide and its causes.

STOP THE STIGMA

Many people are not aware of the intrusive thoughts which revolve around their mental health and they unintentionally ignore them which further denies their feelings and makes them more vulnerable. Suicidal thoughts are invasive and they come forward through words and actions which are usually subtle. We have to be on the lookout for such warning signs. However, experts say that not all of the below-mentioned signs usually point towards a person having suicidal tendencies and one should not feel guilty for missing those signs.

Some of the warning signs include:

Speaking about their desire to die

Searching for ways to kill themselves

Talking about being a burden to other people

Talking about feelings of inadequacy and losing the will to live

Acting anxious, agitated or behaving recklessly

Sleeping too much or not enough

Irregular mood swings

Living in isolation

Giving away their prized possessions

Closing out people and neglecting relationships

For someone who is struggling with a mental illness, stigmas can further worsen their psychological state of being and make them more hesitant to seek help. The easiest way to end the stigma around suicide is by having open conversations about mental health. Educating ourselves about mental health and raising awareness about it is helpful in eradicating the stigma centred around such taboo topics. By taking that first step, we can eventually succeed in putting an end to the harmful conversations and perspectives around those whom it is centred.

RAISE AWARENESS

National Suicide Prevention Month was introduced to specifically spread awareness, to reach out to those in need and help people understand the severity of this cause. It is at this month where we bring forth suicide prevention strategies, break the stigma around it and understand the warning signs and their causes.

It is imperative to let someone contemplating suicide know that there is help available, whether through family, friends or support services such as therapy or counselling. People struggle to face their fears regarding their feelings and shut out others to seek help. Starting a conversation about suicide, providing support and directing help to support services are the best ways to help someone who is feeling suicidal. It is also important to rethink our stance on mental health and acknowledge the fact that being vulnerable does not mean being weak. It should be reiterated that it is okay to seek help and when someone opens up about their worries, it is crucial to listen empathetically without being judgemental.

TALK ABOUT FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS, WORTHLESSNESS HOPELESSNESS

One of the major factors contributing to suicide is depression. It is important to know that depression is a mental illness and not something a person has voluntarily drawn upon himself/herself.

As depression accelerates, 3 feelings continue to manifest in the person: helplessness (the person feels unable to make sense of their situation and fails to come out of it), worthlessness (the person tends to compare their life with someone else and feels worthless in return) and hopelessness (the prospects of future seem dim to the person and they find themselves anxious). These are known as the cognitive triad of depression. People experiencing this cognitive triad for a prolonged period of time turn suicidal, if not treated early. If a person is found to exhibit these symptoms, they should be taken as immediate warning signs and taken care of immediately. Most of the time, these signs are a blatant cry for help and it is our responsibility to reach out to them.

SEMICOLON

Project Semicolon started as a social media movement in 2013. Its tattoo (;) represents mental health struggles and the importance of suicide prevention. It is beautifully described as "A semicolon is used when an author could've chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life."

Suicidal thoughts can plague anyone regardless of age, gender, or social status. Commonly linked to depression, there is no foolproof indicator of suicidal tendencies. Many people suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts cover them up quite well. Thanks to Suicide Prevention Month, approaches to suicide are beginning to change. It helps in destigmatizing mental health problems and promotes conversations about topics that were previously brushed under the rug.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://vitalrecord.tamhsc.edu/raising-awareness-of-suicide/

https://today.tamu.edu/2020/09/15/raising-awareness-of-suicide/

https://www.ndtv.com/health/hopelessness-helplessness-and-worthlessness-warning-signs-of-depression-from-expert-2247061/

https://www.suicideinfo.ca/resource/suicideandstigma/

https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/worried-about-someone/stigma-around-suicide-world-suicide-prevention-day/

https://www.upworthy.com/have-you-seen-anyone-with-a-semicolon-tattoo-heres-what-its-about/