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Untreated mental illness
(including depression, bipolar
disorder, schizophrenia, and
others) is the cause for the
vast majority of suicides |
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Some of the negative life
experiences that may cause
depression, and some other
causes for depression, include:
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The
death of a loved one |
For Any Complaints |
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A divorce, separation, or break
up of a relationship |
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Losing custody of children, or
feeling that a child custody
decision is not fair |
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A serious loss, such as a loss
of a job, house, or money |
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Make your alcoholic husband
responsible for his actions.
Every time you make excuses for
him or shielded him, you have
just paid for the next drink. |
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A serious illness |
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A terminal illness |
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A serious accident |
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Chronic physical pain |
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Intense emotional pain |
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Loss of hope |
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Being victimized (domestic
violence, rape, assault, etc) |
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A loved one being victimized
(child murder, child
molestation, kidnapping, murder,
rape, assault, etc.) |
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Physical abuse |
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Verbal abuse |
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Sexual abuse |
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Unresolved abuse (of any kind)
from the past. |
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Feeling "trapped" in a situation
perceived as negative |
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Feeling that things will never
"get better" |
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Feeling helples |
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Serious legal problems, such as
criminal prosecution or
incarceration |
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Feeling "taken advantage of."
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Inability to deal with a
perceived "humiliating"
situation. Inability to deal
with a perceived "failure."
Alcohol abuse. |
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Drug abuse |
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A feeling of not being accepted
by family, friends, or society |
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A horrible disappointment |
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Feeling like one has not lived
up to his or her high
expectations or those of another |
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Bullying. (Adults, as well as
children, can be bullied.)
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Low self-esteem |
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How to Help a Suicidal Person
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Someone is in a hospital does
not mean that he or she will not
die by suicide. So, again, stay
with the person as much as
possible |
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Always take suicidal comments
very seriously |
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Try not to act shocked |
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While you are waiting for
professional help to arrive (or
if there is no emergency) |
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Listen attentively to everything
that the person has to say |
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Comfort the person with words of
encouragement |
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Let the person know that you are
deeply concerned |
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If the person is at a high risk
of suicide, do not leave him or
her alone |
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Talk openly about suicide |
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If the person talks about using
a firearm that he or she owns
for suicide, call the police so
they may remove the firearms |
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Don't be judgmental |
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Be careful of the statements
that you make |
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Listen, listen, and listen. Be
gentle, kind, and understanding |
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Let the person express emotion
in the way that he or she wants |
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After the person has received
help and is no longer critically
suicidal, help the person make
an appointment with a medical
doctor and a therapis |
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Before you leave the person,
make sure that he or she has
received professional help from
qualified mental health
professionals or that the risk
of suicide has dissipated |
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If someone tells you that you
need to keep his or her suicidal
intentions a secret, then you
never can keep that "secret". |
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Follow up with the person on a
regular basis to make sure that
he or she is doing okay |
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When in doubt about what to do,
call 100 immediately. Be safe |
