THERE IS HOPE
People with suicidal thoughts often exhibit warning signs. Other times people isolate themselves and don’t want to talk about their depression and hopeless feelings. Your loved one needs to know that you care and will support them no matter what. You don’t have to know how serious the situation is to ask for help. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction and other mental disorders are treatable illnesses and not a sign of personal weakness.
People can get so hopeless that they will ever get better that it leads to despair/depression and sometimes suicide because they think this is the only way out. But there is hope and help. -Dr. Daniel Binus, MD
SUICIDE FACTS
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 15-34 years of age.
- There were 41,149 suicides in 2013 in the United States – equal to 113 suicides per day.
- 494,169 people were treated in emergency departments for self-inflicted injuries in 2013.
- An estimated 2.7 million people made a plan about how they would attempt suicide in the past year.1
WARNING SIGNS OF SOMEONE CONSIDERING SUICIDE
Making any of the following statements:
- Life isn’t worth living
- My family or friends would be better off without me.
- Next time I’ll do it right. (take pills, etc.)
- Don’t worry I won’t be around much longer.
- I’m better off dead.
- Life is too hard, I can’t deal with it anymore.
- I won’t be a burden much longer.
Warning sign activities:
- Giving away treasured possessions.
- Putting their affairs in order (updating their will, paying off debt.)
- Obtaining a weapon.
- A previous suicide attempt
- Daring or risk-taking behavior
- Lack of interest in future plans
SIGNS OF SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS
Suicide is the ultimate symptom of someone suffering from severe mental illness. Help is available and hope is real.
Some signs of mental illness include:
- Unusual sleep patterns (sleeping too much, or difficulty sleeping)
- Low energy, can’t do anything
- Difficulty concentrating and indecisiveness
- Depressed or sad mood that doesn’t seem to leave
- Extreme mood swings
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Wishing they were dead
- Withdrawing from relationships
- A significant change in weight or appetite
- Increased substance abuse
IF YOU THINK SOMEONE IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE
- Listen attentively and ask questions without judgment.
- Trust your instincts
- Do not leave the person alone
- Do not swear to secrecy
- Get professional help, even if the person resists
- Call a help line with them or for them
- Call 911 if an emergency
CALL
- The National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
TEXT
- Text TALK to 741-741 – the Crisis Text Line
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2013, 2011) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC (producer). Available from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/ wisqars/index.html.
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