World Suicide Prevention Day 2020
Posted By Kathleen David on September 10, 2020
According to Wikipedia
World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003
In the TV series Sherlock, Mycroft called John to keep an eye on Sherlock because it was a danger night. The implication is that Sherlock was going to use drugs, but I always thought that it meant that Sherlock was suicidal and would use the drug or reckless behavior to end his life. For me the word bored became a signal that he was thinking about ending it. That’s my theory.
After someone commits suicide, the people they leave behind are left with all kinds of questions and regrets.
A lot of it circles around ‘why didn’t I see it’.
I can tell you from experience that when I was feeling suicidal, I isolated myself. That and my spending habits got really poor in terms of buying on credit. I figured if I was dead, I wouldn’t have to pay for it. Stupid I know but the brain does what the brain does.
Right now, with the isolation we have been living under, suicide numbers are up across the globe.
It is scary but you can help.
Check In with your friends and family. Especially those folks who are isolating alone.
If you see changes in behavior like more risk taking than normal or using things to dull the senses to an extreme, talk to them about what they are feeling not what they are doing.
There is this weird idea that people who talk about ending their lives aren’t going to do it. That is furthest from the truth. Someone says they are thinking about killing themselves need to be heard and helped. I know it can be tiresome because it seems like it is suicide baiting, but they do need to be encouraged to get some help. Yes, there is a small subsection of individuals who use the threat of suicide to control others. We call these people narcissists and they are another can of worms entirely.
The World Health Organization says, “Given the widespread stigma around suicide, most people who are contemplating suicide do not know who to speak to. Rather than encouraging suicidal behaviour, talking openly can give individual other options or the time to rethink his/her decision, thereby preventing suicide.”
Sometimes people just need to be heard and recognized. Other times they are seeking advice and help. It can be hard to recognize which they need but if you listen then the clues are usually there.
One thing we need to do worldwide is to remove the stigma of talking to each other about our mental health. It is why I started Mental Health Check In Monday. In hopes that my talking frankly about my mental health, it will encourage others to do the same. Is it scary to put myself out there? Yes, but if it even saves one life then it is worth it.
Please take care of yourselves. If you are feeling suicidal, there are resources to help you including text forms if you don’t want to talk to someone.
I am here and I am listening.
Suicide is a long term solution to a short term problem.
We need to listen to people and check in to make sure they are doing OK.
We need to remove the stigma that exists which prevents people from seeking help because they have been told their entire life that if they do so they are weak or less. They just need to suck it up. This is very true in the communities with people of color.
I think it stinks that white people have it easier to gain access to mental health help. They are more likely to be recommended to mental health services. Mental health is for everyone not just the chosen few.
Let’s check in with people today that we might not have in a while. Ask how they are doing and what they are doing. And listen to the answers they are giving.
I am grateful that I have access to mental health help.
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