Johann Urb
Jay
Search results
Feb 23, 2023 · How Can Appearing Happy And Carefree Be A Warning Sign For Suicide? Here’s the gist: If someone with a mental health condition suddenly seems joyful and relaxed, it may be because they’ve made the decision to die by suicide.
Nov 24, 2020 · Depression and feelings of deep inadequacy, yes. But suicide? Not that they knew of, not until the final weeks of his life.
Has attempted suicide or demonstrated suicidal behavior in the past. What are the most common indicators that someone is thinking about suicide?
- What are the most common indicators that someone is thinking about suicide?For those at risk of attempting suicide, abrupt changes in mood and behavior—including dramatic mood swings, or a sudden uplift in mood after a lon...
- Can someone die by suicide without displaying any warning signs?Yes. Some people take their lives impulsively or in response to a severe and sudden stressor, without pondering it extensively beforehand; these in...
- My loved one talks about death frequently. What should I do?Talking about death is considered taboo by many and can trigger feelings of discomfort, and it’s natural to feel worried if a loved one brings it...
- My partner often threatens to kill himself during fights, and says he’d kill himself if I ever left him. How should I respond?It’s terrifying when a partner or other loved one threatens to harm themselves, especially in the middle of an already tense situation. Though it c...
- Could reckless or dangerous behavior mean that someone is trying to hurt themselves?Yes. Some people are reckless by nature, and risky behavior on their part may not indicate that they are thinking of hurting themselves. However, u...
- Am I at risk of suicide?Countless people, at some time in their life, have had passing thoughts of suicide, and most people feel hopeless or worthless at least occasionall...
- I think about suicide or dying often. How do I know when it’s time to seek help?Persistent thoughts of suicide or dying (even passive thoughts such as “I wish I’d never been born,” or “I wish I could fall asleep and never wak...
- What happens if I tell my therapist I’m thinking of suicide?Many people who are thinking about suicide hesitate to tell their therapist, out of fear that they might be committed to an in-patient program of s...
- Does self-harm always indicate suicidality?Not necessarily. Self-harm does precede suicide in some cases, and it may be a cry for help from someone who has suicidal intentions. However, many...
Tips for coping with suicidal feelings right now - Mind. Home. > Information and support. > Types of mental health problems. > Helping yourself now. Suicidal feelings. Explains what suicidal feelings are, and what you can do if you feel suicidal. Also covers the causes, treatments and support options for suicidal feelings.
- Overview
- Misconceptions about suicide
- Why people might attempt suicide
- Why do people think suicide is selfish?
- 1. Myth: “They want attention”
- 2. Myth: “They’re weak”
- 3. Myth: “They haven’t really tried to get help”
- 4. Myth: “They haven’t considered how their death will affect others”
- Takeaway
Stigmatizing beliefs about suicide may stem from myths that suicide is a sign of weakness or wanting attention, or that the affected person has not thought about others or tried to get help.
Some of the things people say about suicide are true.
Suicide can often be prevented, for one. It’s also not the only way to put an end to mental and emotional distress.
True, suicidal thoughts can be common, but experiencing these thoughts doesn’t necessarily mean someone intends to act on them. It’s important to recognize others’ feelings with compassion and to help them connect with potentially life-saving mental health services as appropriate.
Other untruths about suicide remain far too prevalent. These false beliefs further stigmatize people attempting to navigate overwhelming pain, making it even more difficult for them to reach out and get support.
If you need help now
If you need someone to talk with during a moment of distress, trained, compassionate crisis counselors can listen and offer support with finding helpful ways to cope.
Suicide often happens during a moment of intense crisis, once someone has reached the limit of what they can bear. Any number of experiences can prompt suicidal thoughts, but a few common triggers include:
•shame, guilt, or a sense of worthlessness
•loneliness or social isolation
•serious health concerns, such as chronic pain
•severe mental health symptoms, including depression, post-traumatic stress, or psychosis
•hopelessness for the future
The myth of suicide as a selfish act may, at least in part, relate to the feelings of guilt, loss, or anger experienced by people trying to come to terms with a loved one’s death by suicide.
It’s never easy to make sense of death, but it can feel particularly difficult when you’re left without answers and have little hope of gaining any deeper insight into a tragic loss.
Someone in this space may not see any way forward for themselves. As an outsider, you generally can’t comprehend this deeply-felt distress unless you’ve experienced something similar yourself. So, losing someone you love to suicide can lead to confusion along with grief and regret.
These emotions are completely natural, of course. That said, it’s also important to acknowledge that humans, as a general rule, tend to experience challenges with uncertainty. Difficulty bearing the burden of not knowing can leave you lost in a maze of “whys” and “what ifs.”
What’s more, you may not be living through the same turmoil and pain, so alternate options might stand out more clearly to you:
•“If only they …”
Suicide doesn’t always reflect a desire to die, but rather, a belief that living with severe and long-standing pain is no longer possible.
It may take quite a while for someone thinking about suicide to open up about these thoughts and say they’re in crisis. When they do, though, you can take it for granted that they truly do want help.
If the pain they share doesn’t sound all that distressing or overwhelming, it might seem reasonable to assume they’re just looking for attention. This assumption, however, brings nothing but harm.
Everyone has a different level of tolerance for distress, first of all. It’s also possible they’ve only told you some of what they’re dealing with.
The myth that suicide is selfish often pairs with another frequently expressed belief: Suicide suggests “mental weakness,” or a lack of emotional fortitude.
Some might point to the fact that the world is full of people who manage tough situations, suggesting that people with greater resilience and resolve simply “chin up” and make the best of their circumstances.
No two people respond to trauma, life challenges, and other sources of distress in the same way, and it never helps to make judgments about anyone’s internal world, lived experience, or abilities.
When you don’t have the full story, suicide can seem like a sudden decision, a thoughtless and rash response to a situation that would have soon improved.
In reality, people often attempt suicide after careful consideration and planning. They might spend weeks, months, or even years working to keep the bulk of their pain at bay as they wait and hope for things to improve.
While the problem that adds the final spark could seem relatively small from the outside, you may not be able to grasp the expanse of what they’ve carried for so long.
People do sometimes consider suicide before ever reaching out to a therapist or seeking support from another helping professional.
Yet, in many cases, people reserve suicide as a last resort, a final option when other efforts have failed.
Maybe they’ve tried the following preventive measures:
•worked with multiple therapists, none of whom offered the support they needed
•tried every treatment recommended for their health or mental health condition, yet none led to improvement
•called or texted crisis helplines that proved less than helpful
Make no mistake, many people thinking about suicide do consider this — very carefully.
Plenty of people who have thoughts of suicide do their best to shoulder their pain and make it through another day simply because they worry about hurting the ones they love. Eventually, though, they might find it harder and harder to keep going, especially when they believe they’ve exhausted their resources for support.
Many people also attempt suicide because they believe their continued existence only burdens the loved ones caring for them. In other words, they may not be thinking about themselves when they make a suicide plan. Instead, they truly believe their deaths will improve the lives of the people they care about most.
You might reassure a loved one having thoughts of suicide that they aren’t a burden and that you want to offer help and support. During a crisis, though, they might have a harder time accepting this as truth. They might even feel guilty for putting you in that position.
Don’t forget that many people who have suicidal thoughts also live with depression. This mental health condition often involves feelings of shame and worthlessness, not to mention a general sense of hopelessness that things will ever improve or change.
To people experiencing challenges with these feelings, then, suicide offers more than a way to find relief from unbearable pain. They may feel it also provides a way to make things easier for the people who continually weather their crises.
Despite some of the common myths you may have heard about suicide, it’s not a selfish act. Some of the myths that fuel this stigmatizing viewpoint include weakness, wanting attention, and others that are simply unfounded.
Keeping one final myth in mind can go a long way toward preventing suicide: It simply isn’t true that asking someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts will make them think about suicide or inspire them to act on their thoughts. Research has shown quite the contrary, as a matter of fact.
When you ask someone about suicidal thoughts, you let them know they can safely share those thoughts with you. In short, you remove one barrier preventing them from getting help.
Here’s how you can help a loved one talking about suicide.
- Crystal Raypole
Dec 21, 2019 · 1. Suicide is more complex than a ‘decision’. People who attempt suicide aren’t always convinced it’s the only option. It’s more often that they have exhausted their emotional reserves to...
Mar 13, 2024 · Recognizing Suicidal Behavior. Medically Reviewed by Smitha Bhandari, MD on March 13, 2024. Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors. Suicide Warning Signs. Who Is Most Likely to Commit...
