30 Facts, Warning Signs and Ways to Help Prevent Suicide

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. (September 9-15, 2018) I felt impressed to share some thoughts and quotes that can also be posted on social media to bring more awareness. This is a topic that has importance any time, not just during National Suicide Prevention Week. I’m happy to share it now!

I shared 5 memes in this post. There aren’t downloads for the memes, you can just click on the image and save it to your computer!

• Suicide is defined as death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.
• A suicide attempt is a non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.

Some suicide facts/statistics:

1. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US. It is the SECOND leading cause of death among people ages 15-24… but it IS preventable.
2. 44,000 Americans die by suicide each year. There are 13.8 deaths by suicide per 100,000 persons each year.
3. There is one death by suicide for every 25 attempts.
4. 40% of persons who complete suicide have made a previous attempt. Nine of out ten people who attempt suicide and survive, do not go on to complete suicide at a later date.
5. On average, 1 person dies by suicide every 16.2 minutes.
6. Each suicide personally affects at least 6 other people.
7. About 2/3 of people who complete suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths. Depression that is untreated, undiagnosed, or ineffectively treated is the number 1 cause of suicide.
8. Males make up 79% of all suicides, while women are more prone to having suicidal thoughts.
9. Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death.
10. An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors.

WARNING SIGNS:

• Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves or being a burden to others
• Expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, or having no reason to live
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Anxious, daring or risk-taking behavior
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or isolating themselves
• Previous suicide attempts
• Extreme mood swings and personality changes
• Looking for a way to kill themselves, through online searches or buying a weapon

What are some things we can do to help with Suicide prevention?

A suicide attempt is a sure indication that something is seriously wrong in a person’s life. No matter the race, age or how rich or poor they are, it’s evident that most people who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder.

Here’s 10 things to understand and ways WE can help:

1. Gain understanding about mental illnesses. They do not have it by CHOICE. 
2. Don’t act shocked or judgmental… HELP them to get through it. Bring patience along with you!
3. Mental illness is NOT a personal failure. Let those suffering from it know that it’s OK to talk about it!
4. Think about someone you feel may need your support and act upon it. (Go with your gut) You can’t help everyone but you CAN help someone!
5. Kindness, love, encouragement, a listening ear, a compliment, understanding, patience, being alert, and spending time with them  are all ways to support someone with suicide tendencies.
6. Remind them that they can do hard things and to not give up!
7. In a private setting, ask the person you’re worried about directly if they’re thinking about suicide. Studies have shown that it does not “plant the idea” in someone who is not suicidal but rather REDUCES RISK! Ask direct questions without being judgmental. Determine if the person has a specific plan to carry out the suicide. The more detailed the plan, the greater the risk.
8. Follow up. Keep checking in. Call them, text them. Ask if there’s anything more you can do to help.
9. Help them connect with a support group or a suicide hotline
10. Follow up. Keep checking in. Call, text and visit them. See if there’s anything more you can do to help.

A wonderful resource to use if you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts is the:

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: Call 1-800-273-8255

Feel free to pin or share this image to help bring awareness!