How to Help Someone Who Might Be Suicidal  

We’ve been in a cemetery before, and we never want the day to come where the one we are visiting is someone close to us or the people we always talk to today because that sounds gore. But we do have to accept the fact that, one day a loved one will pass away and we have to take care of their funeral or cremation service without a stable emotion because we have to.

There are a lot of causes of death. It may be because of illness, accidents, or suicide. Have you ever talked someone out to stop whatever they were planning? It’s really difficult because a lot of factors are involved, and defending it would not be easy especially if you’re not face to face with the person.

Do you know someone who needs help?

Most people who die by committing suicide have psychological problems and are emotionally unstable. Other issues involved would be recent relationship problems, health problems, and misuse of the substance. If you know someone who may have considered suicide, encourage them to seek professional help immediately.

The best thing you can give to a suicidal person is support. These people need to hear positive thoughts and be surrounded by positive people since they think everything in their life is a mess. Asking them if they have suicidal thoughts doesn’t increase the chance of them acting on it.

There are warning signs to look for in a suicidal person, these are:

• They feel hopeless and is in great pain
• They talk about wanting to die so often
• Alcohol and drug intake increases
• Experience eating and sleeping pattern changing
• They’re always agitated and anxious about everything
• They start to isolate themselves and feel a burden to everyone
• Having difficulty in concentrating and participating activities

People can get the feel of being sad, angry, stressed, and other things because of what they deal with daily. This kind of feeling is normal since we deal with a lot of people who are different. Some people experience extreme sadness to the point where they keep it to themselves until their emotions overflow, and they can’t take the problems and insecurities they face.

Problems do come and go, but the weight of the problem can be so much for other people. You may have heard a lot of people saying that people who talk about suicide won’t do it because others believe they want to get the attention of everyone. This is where society is mistaken. Many people may have their view about mental health, and some even find it as a joke or faux. Considering the number of people suicides and depression in a year, we should give awareness to this.

You should also consider if they have mental problems. Some are not fully aware, which leads to doubts about their decisions and other complications.

If you want to help, you can:

ASK

Some teenagers and adult are hesitant to share their problems with other people because they are afraid to be judged. If you talk to a friend who’s talking about suicidal thoughts or you can sense that the warning signs are showing, talk about it with them. If you are afraid to ask because you think asking them would give them the idea, it’s not true. Talking to may help them reconsider that dark thought.

Asking a suicidal person about their problems can be difficult since they have cut people out of their lives. Talking to them can also make them feel cared again and less alone. If you want to help them, you should be willing to understand their situation and face the challenges accompanied by it. Letting them know the purpose of asking about their thoughts can make them open up with their reasons, and that’s when you can fully understand the situation they are in.

Listen

Listening to them without judging them is a big step to them since they don’t rely much on themselves and other people. Assuring them that you’re trustworthy for their secrets and problems will warm their hearts since they are stuck in their thought that no one cares about them. Listening to other people’s problem can be stressful sometimes, but it’s worth it if you can help the person.

Tell

Telling another person even after swearing this as a secret, is an absolute betrayal for them. Although you feel bad because of this, this is a way to help them with their life. You may attempt to help your friend alone, but the safest way to evaluate the situation is to get help from authorities or adults. When the situation arrives, you can call the suicide crisis line, 1-800-SUICIDE, or the emergency 911 number.

Aftermath

If an event happens where even after helping your friend and asking help from an adult, your friend died by suicide, it’s common to have different emotions jumbled up. Teens who witness this or didn’t know about their friend’s situation feels guilty since they misunderstood their actions and words. Others think negatively about the situation where even after death, they get mad at the person for doing such a selfish act and not considering what their family and friends they left behind.

When you have mutual friends with the person who attempted suicide, it’s common to feel awkward to talk about him or her, but you should all try to overcome the discomfort since this is where you want to feel connected with others and know more about their thoughts.

It takes time to process the situation. Grieving for their death is normal, but if it affects your everyday life, you should learn to talk about it with others and get the heavy feeling out your system.