Signs of Suicide and Understanding the Risks of Not Noticing

As years go by, suicide rates are becoming higher. It could be any number of reasons; The strain of finding a good job in order to make a decent living for your family, peer pressure at school, because you are still wearing the outfit from last year, while others are wearing the latest fashion apparel that’s trending this year. And, for that, you feel neglected, stressed, left out. Marriage problems, money issues, just totally feeling unworthy, it doesn’t matter; it seems harder these days to be joyful and to stay happy.

Understanding depression and suicide is hard on the one who is feeling this way, much less the ones who are not suicidal. Most of us can accept life’s ups and downs and move on with life, feeling that eventually our bad luck will turn around. However, it’s not so simple for everyone, finding compassion for your friend or neighbor, is a necessity.

When a person is in so much pain from being depressed, the thought of just wanting that pain to end begins to consume their thoughts. Killing themselves actually is not something they really want to do. They, in fact, would like to find a way to be happy and normal, but the pain begins to inhabit their body and mind, and they see no way to make that happen.

I actually started writing this article for a client and then had to back out for another uncontrollable duty of mine. Nevertheless, I didn’t delete the subject or my research, because I really think depression and suicide are one of the most common issues’ humans face today. It’s a dangerous disease, and yes; it is a disease. I know a lot of people don’t believe that this is actually a disease instead of just a human being wanting sympathy or pity. As a person who has had depression and suicidal thoughts from as young as the age of 10, and I’m in my 40s now, I can tell you that a person does not want this, they do not want to be sad. They do not want to die. They, in fact, just want to be normal and live.

As I mentioned earlier some people get sick with depression from trying their best to live and all the things we do in order to do this comfortably. Many have great responsibilities; children and family to take care of, among other things, so if someone around you is showing signs of suicide, then you should really take the initiative to help in any way you can. But, what are the warning signs?

Change in behavior is really the first sign that a person is struggling with depression. If you can detect a close friend or family member is off their game or becomes a totally different person, you can start to confront them right away and start the process of helping that person before suicidal thoughts ever enter their psyche. If John is normally the optimistic one of your work groups, and now he is the snappy unsocial one that might be a sign of a mental struggle.

If you don’t catch the first sign as something to be concerned about, maybe you think John is only having trouble at home or money trouble just like most of us do from time to time, and he will snap out of it, then you might want to listen more to them when they do talk. Take notes that home trouble and money trouble could be the trigger as well, not everyone knows how to deal with everyday problems, and it sinks them into a different mindset. If John says, “One day it will be over, and I will not have to worry about all these bills,” coupled with the awareness of his mood change, this could be a clear sign of depression. Any talk of not wanting to be here anymore or things coming to an end should trigger a warning sign to someone who knows them well.

You may have decided that someone you care about or know has gotten depression, and you think they may be suicidal, what do you do? Well, the first thing would catch them alone and confront them. Tell them about your concerns and offer them an ear to listen. Typically, that is what a person that is depressed needs; just someone who cares enough to listen. Even though they may make excuses at first, always make sure they know you are there for them. Eventually, they will trust you and confide in you as a friend. If you feel their problems are more than you can handle, suggest therapy or a support group.

To go over again the factors that may lead to depression and suicide is to first understand that it may not be triggered by everyday stress of life, it can also be; inherited, caused by substance or alcohol abuse, chronic pain, and several other reasons. However, it becomes an extra disease when brought on from any one of these reasons.

Depression is a very complicated disease because, in order to treat it, you have to know and treat what started it. There are many resources you can look up and research on the many different signs and types of this disease. In addition, be encouraged to keep the suicide hotline numbers written down. Like I stated before it helps the person suffering to talk to someone whom they can relate to and trust. If you don’t think you are up for the task, the suicide hotline could be a great suggestion to the person in need of help.