Suicide Awareness

Introduction

Suicide is among the leading causes of death globally in younger individuals, attributing to approximately 800,000 death per annum. Suicide is a public health concern that has long-term adverse effects on the individual, his or her family, and the community at large. In the majority of the countries, men are more likely to commit suicide than women, with the older population contributing a larger share. While suicidal attempts, behavior, and ideation are not usually noticeable to other individuals, identification of risk factors and warning signs can lead to timely prevention of suicide. Subsequent sections describe the etiologies, driving forces, and prevention strategies regarding suicide.

What Is Suicide and Suicide Ideation?

Suicide can be defined as death that is caused by self-injury with the intention to die. On the contrary, a suicide attempt is characterized by self-injury with the intention to die, however, not culminating as death. People who survive a suicide attempt have adverse emotional, physical, and psychological impacts along with a significant impact on friends and family of those individuals who may or may not survive a suicide attempt. Some of the common causes of suicide attempts and characteristic suicide behavior include the following.

1. Medications

2. Mental health conditions

3. Influence of media and internet

4. Sex

5. Genetic predisposition

6. Physical illnesses

7. Availability of firearms

8. Economic instability

While suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidal behavior are based on actions, suicidal ideation refers to the thoughts that arise in an individual's mind influencing self-injury with the intention of death. Suicidal ideation is the seed that germinates into suicidal behavior and ultimately suicide attempts. People with suicidal ideation proceed with tailoring suicide plans. Individuals having relatively more specific plans are at a greater risk of committing suicide than those who have a generalized suicide plan.

What Are The Driving Factors of Suicide?

The social factors that increase the risk of committing suicide are listed down below.

1. Living alone

2. Prior traumatic events

3. High introversion

4. Depressive psychological state

5. Interpersonal stressors

6. Financial difficulties

7. Legal difficulties

8. Loss or bereavement

9. Physical illnesses associated with depression

10. Chronic diseases independent of depression

11. Sleep abnormalities

12. Traumatic brain injury

Other risk factors include a previous suicide attempt by the same individual, family history of suicide, substance abuse, and access to lethal means.

While learning about factors that act as a driving force for suicide, it is imperative to discuss the factors that reduce the risk of committing suicide and even the arousal of suicidal ideation. The factors are listed down below.

1. Effective problem-solving and coping skills

2. Well-developed and well-established social support network

3. Optimism

4. Extraversion

5. Strong motives for living

6. Religiosity

   1. Religious views on suicide

   2. Support offered by the religious community

7. Responsibility for minors

8. Contact with healthcare providers

9. Access to effective mental healthcare

How Does Suicide Affect Close Relationships?

Suicide or suicide attempts have far-reaching impacts on friends, family, and colleagues of that particular individual. The surviving family, friends, and peers experience the following feelings and emotions.

1. Family, friends, and peers may blame one another for not preventing suicide or identifying warning signs and risk factors associated with suicide.

2. Family, friends, and peers may also suffer from shame. The shame and isolation may cause these individuals to abstain from obtaining social, emotional, and psychological support.

3. Friends, family, and peers as well as individuals who survive suicide attempts may suffer from post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

4. Such individuals may also experience conflicting emotions that can be difficult to manage and resolve.

5. These individuals also demonstrate symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety.

6. Friends, family, and peers may experience feelings of guilt. They may hold themselves responsible for the suicide or suicidal attempt.

7. These people may develop suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior themselves, hence, are at an increased risk of committing suicide.

8. Individuals who survive a suicidal attempt suffer from long-term health consequences including physical injuries and mental health conditions.

The aftermath of suicide is not just limited to social and psychological consequences but also has serious impacts on finances. Physical injuries in a suicide attempt have greater medical costs and impose a financial burden on that individual and his or her friends, family, and peers. Moreover, the society and country also suffer from economic burden as a whole owing to missed workdays and lack of productivity while an individual suffers from mental health conditions.

Is Suicide The Only Solution?

Why do people commit suicide? What are they escaping from? Will suicide solve all their problems? Conflicting thoughts, lack of social support, and lack of adequate knowledge concerning possible solutions contribute to the development of suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, and ultimately suicide attempt. For these reasons, suicide may seem like the only possible solution, however, this is not true. While suicide may seem like the only escape plan in the particular time being, genuine and executable solutions can be devised to solve problems under discussion. Having a strong social support network or a professional healthcare provider to discuss problems can be beneficial for coming up with probable solutions and reducing the incidence and prevalence of suicide at large.

What Are The Prevention Strategies?

1. National policies to resolve unemployment, disparities, and poverty.

2. Limiting access to lethal means that include firearms, pesticides, and medications.

3. Preventing harmful use of alcohol to manage suicidal behavior and reduce the risk of suicide.

4. Increased public awareness about mental health and helping them develop coping skills.

5. Responsible media reporting to prevent the normalization of suicide.

6. Facilitating access to healthcare providers for physical illnesses, mental health conditions, and substance abuse.

Suicide is a preventable public health concern. Prompt identification and resolution of risk factors, warning signs, and suicidal behavior can lead to a significant reduction in suicide rates. People shall be encouraged to discuss what's bothering them and approach support groups and/or professional healthcare providers to solve their problems accordingly. This can be achieved by promoting suicide awareness programs and countering the stigma associated with mental health conditions.

References

1.  https://ourworldindata.org/suicide
2. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441982/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5319859/
5. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/how_does_suicide_affect_loved_ones/article_em.htm

6. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/pdf/NCIPC-Suicide-FactSheet.pdf