It’s often hard to imagine what led a family member, a friend, or a workmate to end one’s life. You may be wondering what clues you might have missed because you haven’t noticed any. But, were there really no clues or were you not aware of the warning signs?
Generally, there are many factors that lead a person to the decision of taking their own lives. Without knowing them, you can never truly address the issue and you can never do something to prevent your family or friends from taking the action. Don’t you think it’s time to end the stigma surrounding suicide? Let us understand the risk factors and warning signs of suicide to know how to help people cope with suicide.
Suicide Risk Factors
Risk factors are more or less what they sound like. Risk factors are issues in a person’s life that increase their likelihood of acting on suicidal thoughts. The more challenges a person deals with, the greater their risk of suicide. Some of the characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may take his or her own life are the following:
Health Factors
- Mental Health Conditions – depression, anxiety disorders, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use problems, and personality traits of aggression, mood changes, and poor relationships
- Serious Physical Health Conditions – painful and traumatic injuries
Environmental Factors
- Access to harmful and lethal means such as drugs and weapons
- Exposure to another person’s suicide or to sensationalised accounts of suicide
- Vulnerable to stressful life events, like financial crisis, rejection, divorce, and other life transitions or loss
- Excessive stress caused by harassment, bullying, relationship problems or unemployment
Historical Factors
- History of mental health conditions
- Previous suicide attempts
- Childhood abuse and trauma
- Extensive record of family suicide
Suicide Warning Signs
How will you know that someone is threatening to kill himself or herself? There are certain things that you need to look out for when concerned that a person may be suicidal. These warning signs indicate a change in behavior or reveal the presence of an entirely new behavior. The new or changed behavior can be related to a painful event, loss, or change. Note that most people who wish to end their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.
Here are the most common indicators that a person may be in acute danger and may urgently need help:
Verbal
A person may be suicidal if he or she often talks about:
- unbearable pain;
- being a burden to others;
- having no reason to live;
- feeling hopeless and trapped; and
- taking one’s own life.
Behavior
If a person is suicidal, his or her behaviors, such as the following, may signal risk:
- excessive alcohol and drug intake;
- withdrawal from activities that were once interested;
- looking for ways and methods to take their own lives;
- Isolating oneself from family and friends
- sleeping too much or too little;
- giving away or donating prized possessions; and
- aggressive.
Mood
A person who is considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:
- lonely;
- anxious;
- depressed;
- agitated;
- angry; and
- detached.
Things Parents Can Do to Prevent Suicide
Since the beginning of the decade, suicide rates for teens and young adults have reached a high-water mark. The number of young people who attempted suicide is sharply rising. However, there is no simple reason why they took those actions, as it’s the result of a number of coinciding factors.
As a parent of a teenager, it is very challenging to know what they are thinking and feeling. You will never know when the normal ups and downs of adolescence become something to worry about if you don’t ask them or they don’t reach out to you. That’s why it is important to learn about the risk factors and warning signs that can place a teen at risk for suicide.
After understanding what can put your child at risk, it’s time to confront youth suicide. Here are some ways you can help prevent a tragedy from occurring:
1. Never let anxiety and depression snowball.
Depressed people often pull themselves back when they’re secretly crying out to be rescued. Most of the time, they are embarrassed to express their sadness to others, including you, their parents. If your child is having a bad day, don’t let it pass. If this mood goes on for a couple of weeks, it will be something more, something worse. We’re sure you won’t let something bad happen to them.
2. Listen even if no one is talking.
If suicidal teens are embarrassed about revealing what they truly feel, they tip off their troubled state of mind through troubled behaviors and actions. Watch out for their actions and understand them carefully. If your instinct tells you that your son or daughter may potentially harm himself or herself, heed your instincts and make them feel that they’re not alone. Read about books on suicidal behavior to know more what their actions suggest.
3. Do not treat suicide as a typical teenage melodrama.
If your son or daughter writes or talks about wanting to die or feelings of hopelessness, you should treat and address these written and verbal statements seriously. Maybe those suicide threats don’t speak of ending their lives, but a desperate plea for help. Are you willing to take a considerable amount of your time to reach out to them or are you just going to watch them as they slowly take their lives?
4. Share your thoughts and feelings and encourage them.
Always let your children know that they are not alone. Let them understand that everyone feels sad, empty, anxious, or depressed every now and then, including the adults. Without minimising their anguish, be reassuring that tough times are like happy ones: they won’t last forever as they come and go. Encourage them to go their way out of isolation, but don’t force them if they’re not ready.
5. Seek professional help.
If you can no longer do something to get them back and their behaviors have concerned you so much, contact counselling and suicide prevention hotlines in Australia. They will have your children evaluated as soon as possible to know if they need counselling or therapy.
Role of School in Suicide Prevention
We all know that schools offer consistent and direct contact time with quite a huge number of young people, which is why they play a very important role in suicide prevention. Part of every school’s mission is to maintain a safe and caring environment for young people. Every staff has a role in promoting positive mental health and suicide prevention efforts. Schools can design programs and activities that can raise awareness about violence, bullying, and substance abuse.
Save a Family Member or a Friend!
If you know someone who’s about to take his or her own life, you can do something to help them in coping with suicide. Never discount their feelings. Don’t be afraid to ask about them. Maybe some of them are just crying out for help. If you believe that they are thinking of suicide, call suicide prevention hotlines right away. Your effort can save a life!