Suicide to what gain - get help
- 1. Ok – ss Date: 1/09/2016 Type: Feature Heading: Suicide to what gain – get help! By line: Nelson Kairi SUICIDE is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide and it has resulted in 842,000 deaths in 2013; totaling to 712,000 deaths since the 1990’s. Defined, it is the act of purposely causing your own death and comes from the Latin word suicidium which means “the killing of oneself”. In most cases suicide begins with suicidal ideas where a person begins to have thoughts of ending his or her life but makes no effort in doing so; untreated it leads to self injury where sometimes the injuries sustained result to lifelong disabilities which does not result to
- 2. death but still affect the person and if still not treated or unnoticed, thus it leads to completed suicide where the act is done and completed. Mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, alcoholism and substance use are some factors that are able to lead someone to commit suicide. These however are not the only stimulants, there are others such as impulsive acts caused by financial difficulties, relationship problems and of course bullying. The latter is one that has recently seen an increase in developed countries. A new review of studies from 13 countries found signs of an apparent connection between bullying, being bullied, and suicide, according to the Yale School of Medicine. Statistics show that males are at a higher risk of committing suicide compared to females; in
- 3. developed countries males are three to five times more likely to end their own lives and one to five times most likely in developing countries. Research shows that suicide is rife among people over the age of 70 however in certain countries 15 to 30-year-olds are a high risk group. From a graph provided by Wikipedia some contributing factors of suicide include mental illness where from research ranks as the highest cause at an estimated 45 per cent followed by crisis with an intimate partner at 30 per cent, recent crisis at an estimation of 39 per cent; problems in physical health at an estimated 25 per cent, problems at work totaling to about 15 per cent and financial problems ranked at 17-19 per cent at the least. Genetics appear to account for between 38 and 55 per cent of suicidal behaviors. War veterans also have a higher risk of suicide due in part to higher rates of mental illness such as post
- 4. traumatic stress disorder and physical health problems related to war. About 0.5 to 1.4 per cent of people die by suicide with a mortality rate of 11.6 per 100,000 persons per year. Rates of suicide have increased by 60 per cent from the 1960s to 2012, with these increases seen primarily in the world globally; in every suicide that results in death there are between 10 to 40 attempted suicides. In South-East Asia alone, deaths from suicide occur at a greater rate in young females than elderly females. The simple warning is that people should not ignore a suicide threat or an attempt at suicide because there is help and with help, feelings and ideas of suicide can be put to rest. Risk factors in teenagers include access to guns, a family member who committed suicide, history of hurting themselves on purpose, history of being neglected or abused, living in communities that have had recent outbreaks of suicide in young people.
- 5. Most suicide attempts do not result in death. Many of these attempts are done in a way that makes rescue possible. These attempts are often a cry for help. Some people attempt suicide in a way that is less likely to be fatal, such as poisoning or overdose. Men are more likely to choose violent methods, such as shooting themselves. As a result, suicide attempts by men are more likely to result in death. Relatives of those who attempt or complete suicide often blame themselves or become very angry. They may see the suicide attempt as selfish. However, people who attempt suicide often mistakenly believe that they are doing their friends and relatives a favor by taking themselves out of the world. When people start to think suicidal thoughts they are no longer able to think rationally, they are no longer able to make sound decisions about the issues affecting them; they are a group of people that need serious help and help must be provided to these kinds of people
- 6. because without it, they are most likely to take their own lives. So how do we prevent it? We prevent it by looking for signs in our friends and relatives; even a co-worker or an employee. We have to be very observant of our surroundings and the people in our communities so we can help them put things back into perspective. Some signs that will show that someone is having suicidal thoughts is when the person has trouble with thinking clearly, begins to give away their belongings, they might talk about going away or there would be a sudden change in their behavior and they would lose interest in activities that they used to previously enjoy. More so, they will begin a trend of very self destructive behaviors such as boozing and the increased use of illegal substances such as cannabis or other forms of drugs, they will pull away from friends, they will talk about death or suicide and would feel hopeless or guilty for no reason at all. Their sleeping, eating and general behavior will change.
- 7. Having patience is significant because it is rather difficult to help someone who you think is having suicidal thoughts. Studies show that people who are planning to end their lives will make excuses that they are alright because like a disease it affects the person’s ability to think clearly. They believe that no one and nothing can help; they know that it is a problem but they push it aside because they do not want others to think that they are weak. They refuse to tell anyone that they have problems and the idea of seeking help seems useless. Many people who try to take their own life talk about it before making the attempt. Sometimes, just talking to someone who cares and who does not judge them is enough to reduce the risk of suicide. However, if you have a friend, family member, or if you know someone who you think may attempt suicide, never try to manage the problem on your own. Seek help. Never ignore
- 8. a suicide threat or attempted suicide – take it seriously because it is. Lifeline Port Moresby Box 6047 Boroko Counseling Tel: 675 326 0011 - Day time only Office Tel: 675 326 1680 and 675 3261177. Face to Face counseling by is done only through appointment. (Note: Hold the story until I confirm the Lifeline numbers)