Suicide Prevention Part5: Myths and Facts About Suicide & Suicidal Thoughts

Common Misconceptions about Suicide

There is a lot of misconceptions about suicide that greatly hamper suicide prevention. To prevent suicide we all need to know the facts about suicide, suicidal person, suicidal warning signs and so forth. This is high time we forgot the myths about suicide and emphasized on the facts of suicide. Here is a list of misconceptions and the realities with recommendations of proper approaches.

Misconception:

• Suicidal talk isn’t an indication of suicide; it’s nothing to be taken seriously.

Or

• Statements made jokingly about suicide are nothing to be worried.

Or

• Suicide happens without warning.

Reality:

n maximum case study it has been observed that suicidal person gave some verbal or non verbal indications of suicide prior to suicide. Ignoring these indications is unwise and a wrong approach.

Proper approach:

If someone uses any suicidal statement those should be taken with utmost concern and necessary steps should be taken immediately to prevent it. Even if the statements are used jokingly they should be observed closely and with care.

Misconception:

• Suicidal person are insane or mentally ill; they should be taken to doctor.

Or

• Only a mental health professional can prevent suicide.

Reality:

Not necessarily all suicidal person is psychotic or crazy. Anyone can think of a suicide being highly depressed, mentally upset or grief stricken.

Proper approach:

So a suicidal person should not be treated as mental patients rather their sufferings should be considered seriously and approach accordingly to get them out of the sufferings. Your king words, helping hands, inspiration or love and friendship can prevent a suicide.

Misconception:

• Nothing can stop a suicidal person; persons determined to commit suicide will do it at any cost.

Or

• Suicidal person don’t want to live, they don’t want or seek for any help, they just want to die; trying to help them is in vain.

Reality:

Most, perhaps every suicidal person is laden with pain and wants to get rid of it and they find suicide they only way out to escape pain. They don’t want to die but they want to be free from sufferings. When a person cannot deal with the pain they choose the option of death. It is clear that if they could cope with their miseries they would not suicide.

Proper approach:

Suicide is preventable and by providing a suicidal person with coping resources can certainly prevent suicide

Misconception:

• Suicidal person don’t search for medical assistance.

Reality:

A great amount of suicidal person seeks for medical help. Studies on suicide show that many a people who died committing suicide seek for medical assistance but were not provided with in time.

Proper approach:

Get medical assistance from trusted resource for a suicidal person as soon as possible when you feel like only your assistance may not be enough to prevent the suicide.

Misconception:

• Suicide related discussion will influence the suicidal person even more

Or

• Asking a person about if s/he is thinking of a suicide will rather make the person angry and more desperate.

Or

• Ignoring suicide related discussion with a suicidal person will discourage suicide.

Reality:

Discussing about a person’s suicidal tendency never really influence him/her more. It may happen that the person at risk is thinking it as interfere to their personal life. They may not like it or get angry also if you ask him/her about their intention to suicide but talking with them frankly and directly is very much required to have a better idea of the circumstance and the risk level of the suicidal person.

Proper approach:

Asking straight, caring questions will often reduce the anxiety and perform as a restraint to suicidal conduct. If you spot the warning signs of suicide in someone you care about, don’t worry about what if you’re mistaken, what if the person gets annoyed. Don’t even care who the person is, just go for it and ask directly. In such situations, it's natural to feel scratchy or scared. But anyone who talks about suicide or shows warning signs needs instant assistance, the sooner the better.

Misconceptions:

• Suicidal tendency is genetic or inherited.

Reality:

A family may have a history of suicide or suicidal tendency among one or several of its members but the reality is no way a genetic characteristic. But unfortunately this misconception often overwhelms a suicidal person having a family history of suicide and facilitates suicidal tendency.

Proper approach:

Don’t think a suicidal person will not really commit suicide if there is no history of suicide or suicidal tendency in his/her family.