Recognizing Suicidal Thoughts
“Mr. Celebrity has been found dead in his Hollywood home. Doctors say he has committed suicide. Family say they never knew he was contemplating such a drastic action. They didn’t know the person was depressed and suffering so much. Mr. Celebrity was always so happy and seemed to have everything he ever wanted or needed. We are just shocked; we just can’t believe it!” Yes, we’ve all seen that on the online news outlet, the evening news, and social media. Sometimes we wonder how family and friends were so blind to the suffering their family member or friend were going through.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016 273,000 people visited an Emergency Department (ED) for self-inflicted injuries. Of those people who visited the ED 44,965 resulted in death. Suicide ranked #10 in cause of death for 2016. That means that that for every 100,000 people 13 died due to suicide. And this number appears to go up.
Am I or Do I Know Someone at Risk?
Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse disorder, bulimia and anorexia can all have one common vital concern – Suicide. Because mental illness is often seen as an invisible illness the signs often go unnoticed by friends, family and co-workers. Often people in desperate need of support and help, are also great in putting on a show of the prefect life without any problems. While one thinks signs are everywhere, and they very possible can be, it is quite possible someone high functioning is successful in life, is holding down a good job, is financially stable, is in a good relationship, has plenty friends, is funny, etc,; or so it seems. But what is if this person is just very good in hiding their problems by trying to convince the rest of the world alongside them-self, that they can cope just fine and all is well? Hence, it’s up to us to see the big picture, the obvious and not so obvious clues that someone might struggle and needs help and support to change their situation and to get to a better place.
Making the choice to follow through with suicide is the most drastic decision an individual can make. The effects of such a choice are life changing for friends and family and affect us for a life time. Therefore, it is so important to recognize suicidal thoughts/ ideations and signs of mental illness. According to Healthline.com about 90% of people who commit suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death.
Suicide can be prevented, but we as family and friends need to be aware of the warning signs. When we see these warning signs we need to be ready to acknowledge them for that they are, a cry for help. Once we identified the suicidal risk factor, we need act quickly to provide necessary support, which might be for ourselves if we are at risk, or to a family member or friend. You might also find yourself in an unfamiliar and strange situation in which instance you might need to help a complete stranger who has nobody but you at that moment paying attention to their struggles.
WARNING SIGNS!
There are several different types of warning signs. Someone may display one or all. Many times the signs are slow to appear and they gradually increase with intensity and type. Because they don’t always just show up like BAM, we don’t always recognize them as something to be concerned out.
Social Withdraw
The most common sign that is missed is withdraw from social activities with family and friends: Not attending birthday celebrations.
Not interested in the holiday season
No longer an avid sports fan or desire to watch the big game
Decreased involvement in previous hobbies or special interests
The next sign to consider is easier to recognize: Impulsive, reckless and aggressive behavior
Impulsiveness
Going on a spending spree
Binge eating
Promiscuous sex
Abruptly changing plans
Constantly “starting something new”
Self-Harm
Frequent emotional outbursts
Physical violence
Recklessness
Speeding
Street racing
Using drugs
Drinking in excessively
Gambling
Spending a lot of money as is there is no future to be concerned about
Aggressiveness
Verbal Attacks
Physical violence
Breaking or destroying property
Dramatic Mood Swings
Rapid change in mood
Seems to be on an emotional roller coaster
Extreme irritability
Unpredictable moods
Talking, Writing or Thinking About Death
Mentions death in a journal
Researching death online
Makes comments about death
Says things such as “the world is better off without me”
Talking about feeling hopelessness
Suddenly making a will
Giving away personal items in excess
Saying good bye to friends and family
Increased Drug/Alcohol Use
Drinking more than before and drinking more often
Switching from light beer drinking to heavy liquor consumption
Increased use of illegal drugs
Suddenly deciding to start using illegal drugs
Threats/Comments of Killing Themselves
Saying they want to harm themselves
Talking about a plan of self-harm
Buying a gun
Stock piling medications that could harm them if too much is taken
Saying they wish they weren’t here anymore
Cutting themselves
Creating and Nurturing a Support Group
Have you ever heard “it takes a village”? No? Well it’s a term normally used when talking about raising a baby. But think about it in terms of mental health. This village is your support system. It should include the people in your life that you depend on to be there in times of a crisis or episode of mental health.
In all honesty there are not enough words to stress the importance of having this village/support group established and maintained. It is vital to your mental health stability. We all need that shoulder to lean on, that ear to bend. However when we are dealing with mental health we also need that person who can help us work through the current and future difficulties we may encounter. It doesn’t have to be family or friends; you can build your support group with anyone you trust and who will have your best interests at heart. Your group may include a vast array of people such as family, friend, co-workers, church officials, and medical professionals. Each person may be better at supporting you in a different way; but the most important factor is that they are all there for you. So ensure you are nurturing those relationships and and keeping the line of communication open. They can only help if they are able to see you need help or if you ask for help
If you are having suicidal thoughts or believe that someone you know is, let’s connect as soon as possible. Life comes with a large host of challenges and it can get undeniably hard. With the right support, such as depression therapy, you can find the light at the end of the tunnel.
Support Groups
Outside of your “village”/personal support group there are also many local and national support groups; many that may include professionals.
I encourage everyone with a mental illness to visit the following sites regarding mental health. They are all there to help guide you through your diagnosis and provide you with life lasting support.
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness - www.nami.orgNAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization who is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI’s website offers a great deal of personal and family resources that are very beneficial to the support of mental health stability. You will find an extensive list of local and national support groups that range from individual, family, teen, veteran and LGBTQ. “NAMI advocates for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support, research and recovery that improves the quality of life of persons of all ages who are affected by mental illness.”
Aunt Berta - www.auntbertha.comAunt Bertha offers you a search engine geared towards providing resources within your zip code for free or reduced cost services. Such as housing, transportation and legal help. The website is very simple and easy to use. On the home screen you will just need to enter your zip code and then the website will link you to the service pages. From there you will see a list along the top of the screen of all the categories of resources available in your area.
Mental Health America (MHA)Founded in 1909, Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation’s leading community based non-profit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness. They focus on prevention, early identification and intervention.
Local to DFW Metroplex: Tarrant County – www.mhatc.org
Local to DFW Metroplex: Dallas County – www.mhadallas.org
Find a local chapter - https://arc.mentalhealthamerica.net/find-an-affiliate
Founded in 1909, Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation’s leading community based non-profit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness. They focus on prevention, early identification and intervention.
Suicide Prevention and Hotline
National Suicide Prevention Life Line - 1-800-273-8255 - www.suicidepreventionlifeline.orgAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention - www.atsp.orgVeterans Crisis line - www.veteranscrisisline.net/chat - Text: 838255Crisis Text line - www.crisistextline - Text: 741741 