KNOW THE SIGNS
February 21, 2013
The recent and highly publicized suicide
of country singer, Mindy McCready, has once
again brought attention to the need for more
public awareness of the signs and symptoms
of a suicidal individual. Before McCready
died, she recorded one final song, and asked
that her friend Dan Hanks produce a video to
be released on YouTube. When Hanks asked
McCready for a release date, her response
indicated that he would know when the time
was “right”. Knowing the request was odd,
Hanks was still clueless to the events about
to transpire.
This very scenario highlights the importance of knowing how to distinguish the difference between an embarrassing moment
and utterance of, “I could just die!” versus
a more serious expression of, “I want to kill
myself,” due to struggles with depression,
drugs, or stress. Identifying the warning signs
of suicide is a real life and death situation. In
2007, suicide was the tenth leading cause of
death in the U.S., resulting in 34,598 deaths
in the U.S., according to the National Institute
of Mental Health (NIMH) Suicide in the U.S.
Statistics and Prevention study.
How do you know when someone is thinking
about suicide? When is the right time to have
an intervention? Read on to learn more about
suicide warning signs and how to talk to
someone who is thinking about killing themselves.
The Warning Signs Of Suicide
When someone is suffering or struggling
with addiction, pain, or depression, it isn’t
always so obvious. Most people who have suicidal thoughts or tendencies at some point
show signs that they are thinking about killing
themselves.
• Talking about killing themselves
• Increased use of drugs or alcohol
• Uncontrollable anger
• Feeling of worthlessness or no sense of
purpose
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• Feeling hopeless, desperate, or even
trapped
• Loss of interest in activities that they once
enjoyed
• Withdrawal from family and loved ones
• Irrational mood swings and behaviors
• Anxiety and depression
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• Change in sleep and eating habits
• Neglect of personal care
• Self-injury and reckless behavior
• Expressing unusual behaviors and thoughts
in journals, through social media outlets,
or communication
• Giving away prized possessions
Critical Warning Signs Of
Suicide
• Person has a weapon and threatening to
cause themselves harm
• Talking about killing themselves and acting
anxious or agitated
• Talking about death or suicide while drunk
or high
• Seeking methods to kill themselves
Warning: Please call 911 or the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-861-1768
right now if you identify with any of the above
signs or know someone who exhibits these
signs. You only need one of these warning
signs to take action. Many people will not say
anything because they don’t want to jump to
a conclusion in case they were wrong. This is
one situation where if you aren’t wrong, your
efforts could save the life of someone you
love. Isn’t that a good enough reason to say
something?
How To Help Someone Who Has
Suicidal Behaviors
Before you start talking to someone about
your concerns, be sure to have all your suicide resources available (websites, helplines,
mental health facilities, etc.) Mention the
signs that they are displaying that prompted
you to even ask them the question to begin
with. Listen to their concerns and let them
know that you are there and that you care
about them. Ask the person if they have access
to anything that could cause them harm; like
a weapon or drugs. If at any point you feel
like your life is in danger, remove yourself
from the situation and call 911 immediately.
If they have expressed continued interest in
killing themselves, they have discussed means
in which to do it, it’s time to seek real help.
Provide the person with the resources that
you have obtained and tell them that you are
willing to walk with them through the steps of
getting help.
Trying to help someone in crisis can be a
scary experience and it’s important to understand that you are not alone. There are multiple resources available to help you prevent
and intervene. If you know someone is struggling, please contact someone for help now.
Suicide can be prevented if you care enough
to speak up!
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| Illinois Spring/Summer 2014 | abusemagazine.org
Source: The Watershed