5 Things Everyone Should Know About Suicide

South Africa has the eighth highest rate of suicide in the world: each year, approximately six to eight thousand people commit suicide, making suicide the third greatest cause of unnatural death in the country, after homicide and unintentional causes. Young adults (19-24 years of age) are considered to be the most at-risk group for depression and suicide including suicidal thinking; self-harming behaviour and suicide attempts.

1. Why do people commit suicide?

A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t wanted. Most people who commit suicide don’t want to die—they just want to stop hurting. Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously. If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, you might be afraid to bring up the subject. But talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life.
Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. Blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, a suicidal person can’t see any way of finding relief except through death. But despite their desire for the pain to stop, most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives. They wish there was an alternative to committing suicide, but they just can’t see one.

Most Significant Reasons of Suicidal Behaviour in South Africa are:
•Academic related problems (including parental expectations around academic performance and career choices): e.g., poor academic performance, academic failure or academic exclusion
•Interpersonal problems: e.g., romantic relationship difficulties; peer group difficulties like bullying; social isolation and thus a lack of social support
•Family problems: e.g., disrupted family environments; broken family relationships; adverse parent-child interactions; violent abuse in the home
•Past or present physical or sexual trauma
•Mental health problems: most especially depression
or a severe mood disorder (e.g., BiPolar Disorder)
•High levels of stress and an accompanying sense that one is unable to cope

2. Warning signs

Most suicidal people give warning signs or signals of their intentions. Take any suicidal talk or behaviour seriously. It’s not just a warning sign that the person is thinking about suicide—it’s a cry for help.
• Always talking or thinking about death
• Clinical depression – deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble sleeping and eating
• Having a “death wish,” tempting fate by taking risks that could lead to death, such as driving fast or running red lights
• Losing interest in things one used to care about
• Making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless
• Putting affairs in order, tying up loose ends, changing a will
• Saying things like “it would be better if I wasn’t here” or “I want out”
• Sudden, unexpected switch from being very sad to being very calm or appearing to be happy
• Talking about suicide or killing one’s self
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye

3. Helping a friend

Talking to a friend or family member about their suicidal thoughts and feelings can be extremely difficult for anyone. But if you’re unsure whether someone is suicidal, the best way to find out is to ask. You can’t make a person suicidal by showing that you care. In fact, giving a suicidal person the opportunity to express his or her feelings can provide relief from loneliness and pent-up negative feelings, and may prevent a suicide attempt.

Questions you can ask:
• When did you begin feeling like this?
• Did something happen that made you start feeling this way?
• How can I best support you right now?
• Have you thought about getting help?

Other things to do are:
• Get professional help. Do everything in your power to get a suicidal person the help he or she needs. Call a crisis line for advice and referrals. Encourage the person to see a mental health professional, help locate a treatment facility, or take them to a doctor’s appointment.
• Follow-up on treatment. If the doctor prescribes medication, make sure your friend or loved one takes it as directed. Be aware of possible side effects and be sure to notify the physician if the person seems to be getting worse. It often takes time and persistence to find the medication or therapy that’s right for a particular person.
• Be proactive. Those contemplating suicide often don’t believe they can be helped, so you may have to be more proactive at offering assistance. Saying, “Call me if you need anything” is too vague. Don’t wait for the person to call you or even to return your calls. Drop by, call again, invite the person out.
• Encourage positive lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, plenty of sleep, and getting out in the sun or into nature for at least 30 minutes each day. Exercise is also extremely important as it releases endorphins, relieves stress, and promotes emotional well-being.
• Make a safety plan. Help the person develop a set of steps he or she promises to follow during a suicidal crisis. It should identify any triggers that may lead to a suicidal crisis, such as an anniversary of a loss, alcohol, or stress from relationships. Also include contact numbers for the person’s doctor or therapist, as well as friends and family members who will help in an emergency.
• Remove potential means of suicide, such as pills, knives, razors, or firearms. If the person is likely to take an overdose, keep medications locked away or give out only as the person needs them.
• Continue your support over the long haul. Even after the immediate suicidal crisis has passed, stay in touch with the person, periodically checking in or dropping by. Your support is vital to ensure your friend or loved one remains on the recovery track.

4. Risk factors

Some risk factors for suicide include:
• One or more prior suicide attempts
• Family history of mental disorder or substance abuse
• Family history of suicide
• Family violence
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Keeping firearms in the home
• Chronic physical illness, including chronic pain
• Incarceration
• Exposure to the suicidal behaviour of others

5. Where can you get help?

SADAG is a Non-Profit Organisation that has a powerful team of Patients, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and General Practitioners on board. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in 5 people will, or do, suffer from a mental illness. SADAG manages a 16-line counselling-and-referral call centre, and is the voice of patient advocacy, working in urban, peri-urban, and the most rural communities across South Africa.
Suicide Crisis Line
0800 567 567
SMS 31393

Mbali Radebe