Suicide: who’s at risk and what you can do to help prevent it

EVEN winning people commit suicide. How can it be ex­plained? The death of a young American football player puzzled his parents. They said there were no warning signs. It turned out that a brain injury caused by repeated head trauma led to a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopa­thy or CTE. Besides head trauma, there are various factors that cause people to take their own lives.

According to Harvard Health, people who have recently lost someone through suicide are “at increased risk for thinking about, planning, or attempting suicide”. Other risk factors, according to the US Centers for Disease Con­trol and Prevention are isolation, feelings of hopelessness, easy ac­cess to lethal methods, and un­willingness to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental health and substance abuse dis­orders or to suicidal thoughts.

Addiction to alcohol and drugs may increase people’s propensity to take a risky behavior. Former military personnel who had trau­matic experiences are at risk, and so are individuals who were deserted or fooled by loved ones. Those who experienced major life failures and losses, the terminally ill, people who were physically, emotionally and sexually abused, the calamity-stricken, and the bullied – they are at risk.

Note that no single factor can fully explain suicide. Sometimes the triggers are what many con­sider to be trivial.

What can be done to help pre­vent suicide? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the following strategies to prevent suicide: strengthen eco­nomic support; strengthen access and delivery of suicide care; cre­ate protective environments; pro­mote connectedness; teach cop­ing and problem-solving skills; and identify and support people at risk.

If you know someone who is at risk, invite this person for coffee or any activity which he enjoys. Finding time for a person makes more difference than telling him “I’ll be there. Just call me.” You already know who is suffering. Why wait for a call? Usually, the ones who suffer from hopeless­ness do not want to seek help. They do not want to be a bur­den.

Avoid blaming him for his situ­ation. Just focus on what can still be done to help him become strong. If this person needs a counselor or a psychiatrist, help him find one.

Involve the person’s fam­ily. Anyone who suffers needs a strong support system. Even you cannot be there 24/7.

Motivate him to develop a hob­by and to find opportunities to be of help in the community regard­less of age. Doing something he loves and joining organizations/interest groups will help him de­velop a zest for life.

Be active in information dis­semination in order to help pre­vent suicide. “Sharing is caring.”