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Understanding
and Helping A Suicidal Person
How
much of a problem is suicide, anyway? Well here are a few
quick facts:
- Suicide
is the 8th leading cause of death in the U.S., killing
about 30,000 people every year...
- Suicide
is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds...
- More
people die from suicide than from accidents, homicides
and war combined.
- Every
day, approximately 80 Americans take their own lives--
one every 18 minutes--somebody attempts suicide in the
U.S. every minute...
- 80%
of college students who die by suicide are not receiving
counseling services or known to be suicidal...
- Suicide
is often preventable.
Browse
this entire page or jump to a topic of interest:
Be
aware of warning signs
Thoughts
about death or suicide are common in depression and it is
important to take them seriously. Although it is not possible
to predict suicide with absolute precision, there are signs
to look for. If you see or hear these warning signs, seek
professional help now:
- Expressing
thoughts of harming oneself, writing about death or suicide,
threatening to kill oneself
- No
reason for living; no sense of purpose in life
- Anxiety,
agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
- Feeling
trapped - like there's no way out
- Hopelessness
- Withdrawing
from friends, family and society
- Dramatic
mood or behavioral changes
- Rage,
uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge
- Increased
alcohol or drug use
- Acting
reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without
thinking, seeking access to firearms, stockpiling pills
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What
signs might you see in school?
These are
some of the things you might notice in a student or classmate
that could indicate suicide might be a problem:
- Sudden
drop in grades or performance
- Not
seeming to care any more about school
- Disappearing
from class, clubs or regular activities
- Neglect
of appearance or hygiene
- Increase
in drinking or drug use
- Difficulty
sleeping or lack of sleep
- Getting
fired from a job or expelled from school
- Sudden
improvement in mood following a depression
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Be
aware of feelings
Many people
at some time in their lives think about completing suicide.
Most decide to live because they eventually come to realize
that the crisis is temporary and death is permanent. On the
other hand, people having a crisis sometimes perceive their
dilemma as inescapable and feel an utter loss of control.
These are some of the feelings and thoughts they experience:
- Can't
stop the pain, or can't see a future without pain
- Can't
think clearly or make decisions
- Can't
see any way out
- Can't
sleep, eat or work
- Can't
seem to get control
- Can't
get out of depression or make the sadness go away
- Can't
see themselves as worthwhile
- And
these are some of the things a suicidal person might say
or think:
- "Soon
you won't have to worry about me"
- "I
won't be around much longer"
- "I
just want to die."
- "Who
cares if I'm dead anyway?"
- "My
family would be better off without me"
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What
to do?
Here are
some ways to be helpful to someone who is threatening suicide:
- Be
direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.
You won't be putting ideas into his/her head; this is
a myth.
- Be
willing to listen. Allow the expressions of feelings.
Accept the feelings. Being heard is very powerful.
- Be
non-judgmental. Don't debate whether suicide is right
or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad. Don't lecture
on the value of life.
- Get
involved. Become available. Show interest and support.
This helps prevent isolation and withdrawal.
- Don't
dare him or her to do it.
- Don't
act shocked. This will put distance between you.
- Offer
hope that alternatives are available but do not offer
glib reassurance
- Don't
be sworn to secrecy. Seek support from others.
- Get
help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention
and suicide prevention.
- Take
action. Remove means, such as guns or stockpiled pills, when it is
safe to do so. Call the police if you believe a suicide is imminent.
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Getting
help
- Northeastern's
Counseling Office (773.442.4650), Health Services (773.442.5800)
or Office of Public Safety (773.442.5511)
- A
community mental health agency or crisis center (in the
Chicago area: 773.769.6200)
- A
local hospital emergency room
- A
private psychologist, therapist or medical doctor
- National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK
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Where
can you find more information?
The Internet
is a great source of information on mental health issues;
it's also got alot of speculation, rumor and misinformation.
So you want to surf carefully. Here are some quick links for
information that can help you deal with feelings of anxiety,
depression, suicide and other emotional health issues:
- U
LifeLine, an online resource center for college student
mental health and emotional well being.
- CampusBlues,
designed to facilitate student awareness and use of school
resources for mental and emotional health.
- Active
Minds on Campus, a student-run mental health awareness,
education and advocacy organization designed for the college
campus.
- Specific
info for college students regarding recognizing warning
signs, finding resources and utilizing mental health services,
collected by the College Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- The
University of Chicago has compiled a great list of online
resources, which they call their Dr Bob's Virtual
Pamphlet Collection. Check it out.
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How
can you contact us?
To find out more about what kind of help is available or to
set up an appointment to speak with a counselor, stop by the
Counseling Office, (D-024), or call us at (773) 442-4650.
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