Did you know...
- 1 of 4 will experience a depressed mood before they are 24 years old
- Almost 1/2 of college students reports being depressed at some point to the point of having trouble functioning
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in people ages 15-24 and 2nd leading cause of death among college students
- Over 32,000 people die by suicide every year (USA)
- It is estimated that a suicide attempt is made every minute, and a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes (USA)
- 1,500 people attempt suicide each day (USA)
Warning signs...
- Indications of an abusive relationship
- Mood Swings and/or sudden personality change
- School or work performance significantly declining
- No friends, or suddenly not spending time with friends
- Signs of an eating disorder
- Cutting
- Fixation with violence/death
- Depression
- Comments such as: "I'm going to end it all", "What's the point of living", Who cares if I'm around anyhow".
- Giving away important items
- Saying there is a plan to to end things
If you suspect someone you know is considering suicide, it is essential to talk to them. Do not be afraid to directly, but gently, ask them if they are considering suicide. Contrary to some belief, this does not give them the idea. Instead it gives them permission to honestly talk about it. By opening up this line of communication, it shows that someone really does notice them, and cares about them. Ask open ended questions, giving them the opportunity to answer with more than a "yes" or "no".
If you feel the person isn't in immediate danger, work with them to create a plan of action. Help them find resources, such as a doctor or counselor. It may also be helpful to offer to take the person to the appointment.
If the person has a plan, this is one major indication of level of seriousness. If the person is in immediate danger, call 911 or if needed, take the person to the ER or nearest hospital.
If you are considering suicide, remember you are not alone. There are MANY people that care about you and want to help. Please talk to someone. If you are not comfortable telling someone you know, please call 911.
Additional information can be found on the Mayo Clinic web site. Please take a couple moments to read through it. You never know when you could save someone's life.
Additional resources/and references for above stats:
- Suicide hot line numbers
- Hopeline
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- American Psychiatric Association (APA)
