03/07/2024
*PART ONE: FACTS ABOUT SU***DE*
WHAT IS SU***DE?🤔
Su***de is when a person harms his or herself with the goal of ending their life, and they die as a result.
How societies view su***de varies widely according to culture and religion. For example, many Western cultures, as well as mainstream Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tend to view killing oneself as quite negative. One myth about su***de that may be the result of this view is considering su***de (suicidal ideation) to always be the result of a mental illness. Some societies also treat a su***de attempt as if it were a crime. However, su***des are sometimes seen as understandable or even honorable in certain circumstances, as in protest to persecution (for example, a hunger strike), as part of battle or resistance (for example, su***de pilots of World War II, su***de bombers), or as a way of preserving the honor of a dishonored person (for example, killing oneself to preserve the honor or safety of family members).
A su***de attempt however is when a person harms his or herself with the goal of ending their life, but doesn't die.
SOME FACTS ABOUT SU***DE
⭕More than 800 000 people world wide die due to su***de every year.
⭕For every su***de there are many more people who attempt su***de. A prior su***de attempt is an important risk factor for su***de in the general population.
⭕Su***de is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.
⭕Seventy-seven per cent of global su***des occur in low- and middle-income countries.
⭕Ingestion of pesticide, hanging and fi****ms are among the most common methods of su***de globally.
⭕The ingestion of the pesticide known as sniper is the commonest method of commiting su***de in Nigeria.
⭕In the year 2022, 79 persons committed su***de in Nigeria. 70 males and 9 females.
⭕6.9 persons out of every 100,000 Nigerians a likely to commit su***de.
WHO IS AT RISK OF SU***DE?
Although attempted su***de is more frequent for women, men are more likely than women to complete su***de because they typically use more-lethal methods, such as a firearm.
Su***de can affect anyone, and there is no way to predict who may suddenly decide to act upon suicidal thoughts and feelings. While some people will think about and plan their su***de over a long period, others may act impulsively during moments of extreme distress or desperation.
What this means is that you should never "shrug off" the signs of su***de because someone is "not the type" to do so. Su***de can affect anyone.
You may be at risk of su***de if you:
⚰️Attempted su***de before.
⚰️Feel hopeless, worthless, agitated, socially isolated or lonely.
⚰️Experience a stressful life event, such as the loss of a loved one, military service, a breakup, or financial or legal problems.
⚰️Have a substance abuse problem — alcohol and drug abuse can worsen thoughts of su***de and make you feel reckless or impulsive enough to act on your thoughts.
⚰️Have suicidal thoughts and have access to fi****ms in your home.
⚰️Have an underlying psychiatric disorder, such as major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder.
⚰️Have a family history of mental disorders, substance abuse, su***de, or violence, including physical or s*xual abuse.
⚰️Have a medical condition that can be linked to depression and suicidal thinking, such as chronic disease, chronic pain or terminal illness.
⚰️Are le***an, gay, bis*xual or transgender with an unsupportive family or in a hostile environment.
CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
Su***de in children and teenagers can follow stressful life events. What a young person sees as serious and insurmountable may seem minor to an adult — such as problems in school or the loss of a friendship. In some cases, a child or teen may feel suicidal due to certain life circumstances that he or she may not want to talk about, such as:
⚰️Having a psychiatric disorder, including depression.
⚰️Loss or conflict with close friends or family members.
⚰️History of physical or s*xual abuse.
⚰️Problems with alcohol or drugs.
⚰️Physical or medical issues, for example, becoming pregnant or having a s*xually transmitted infection.
⚰️Being the victim of bullying.
⚰️Being uncertain of s*xual orientation.
⚰️Reading or hearing an account of su***de or knowing a peer who died by su***de.
If you have concerns about a friend or family member, asking about suicidal thoughts and intentions is the best way to identify risk.
MURDER AND SU***DE
In rare cases, people who are suicidal are at risk of killing others and then themselves. Known as a homicide-su***de or murder-su***de, some risk factors include:
⚰️History of conflict with a spouse or romantic partner
Current family legal or financial problems.
⚰️History of mental health problems, particularly depression.
⚰️Alcohol or drug abuse.
⚰️Having access to a firearm.
CAUSES OF SU***DE
Although the reasons why people commit su***de are multifaceted and complex, life circumstances that may immediately precede someone committing su***de include recent discharge from a psychiatric hospital or a sudden change in how the person appears to feel (for example, much worse or much better). Examples of possible triggers (precipitants) for su***de are real or imagined losses, like the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving, death (especially if by su***de) of a loved one, or loss of freedom or other privileges.
EFFECTS OF SU***DE
The effects of suicidal behavior or completed su***de on friends and family members are often devastating. Individuals who lose a loved one to su***de (su***de survivors) are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the su***de while wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the su***de, feeling rejected by their loved one, and stigmatized by others. Survivors may experience a great range of conflicting emotions about the deceased, feeling everything from intense emotional pain and sadness about the loss, helpless to prevent it, longing for the person they lost, questioning of their own religious beliefs, and anger at the deceased for taking their own life to relief if the su***de took place after years of physical or mental illness in their loved one. This is quite understandable given that the person they are grieving is at the same time the victim and the perpetrator of the fatal act.
Individuals left behind by the su***de of a loved one tend to experience complicated grief in reaction to that loss. Symptoms of grief that may be experienced by su***de survivors include intense emotions, like depression and guilt, as well as longings for the deceased, severely intrusive thoughts about the lost loved one, extreme feelings of isolation and emptiness, avoiding doing things that bring back memories of the departed, new or worsened appetite or sleep problems, and having no interest in activities that the sufferer used to enjoy.
PREVENTION OF SU***DE
Sometimes family members or friends may notice a person has signs of having suicidal thoughts. When this happens, the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention advises:
♦️talking calmly with them in private and expressing care.
♦️taking what they say seriously and assuring them that their life matters.
♦️removing dangerous objects, such as guns and drugs, from their reach.
♦️calling for help and staying with them until help arrives.
♦️following up with them after the crisis is over.
TO BE CONTINUED....
