According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates in the U.S. are at their highest level since World War II due to numerous factors including the opioid crisis, widespread social media use and high rates of stress.
A recent analysis by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics in 2017 declared that 14 out of every 100,000 Americans died by suicide, and that’s a 33 percent increase since 1999, and the highest age-adjusted suicide rate recorded in the U.S. since 1942.
With September designated as National Suicide Prevention Month, this is a logical time to review some of the more common warning signs of suicide and what to do when you recognize them in yourself or someone else.
Whenever symptoms of depression include strong thoughts of despair and hopelessness, a child, adolescent or adult is possibly at greater risk for suicide. Be watchful for behaviors, comments or social media posts that indicate an individual is feeling overwhelmed by sadness or pessimistic views of their future.
Sometimes noticeable risk-taking behaviors can include acts of aggression, gunplay, and alcohol/substance abuse that could be signs of an eventual suicide attempt. While an individual may not act depressed, their behavior can suggest that they don’t care about their own safety.
Parents, teachers and friends are often the best observers of sudden changes in suicidal individuals. Changes can include withdrawing from friends and family, skipping work or school, becoming less involved in activities that were once important, avoiding others, inability to sleep or sleeping all the time, sudden weight gain or loss and disinterest in appearance or hygiene.
Sudden unexplained happiness taking place after a prolonged period of sadness may also be a suicide warning sign.
Also be on the lookout for self-injury behaviors that maybe indicators for young children as well as teenagers. Common self-destructive behaviors include running into traffic, jumping from heights and scratching/cutting/marking the body.
There are also a number of statements someone can make that point towards an eventual suicide attempt. Comments like “I want to die,” or indirect comments such as “the world would be better without me,” or “nobody will miss me anyway,” should be considered warning signs of suicidal tendencies. Teenagers might make indirect threats noticeable in school assignments like particularly creative writing or artwork, or online through social media.
If you spot the warning signs of suicide in someone you care about, you may wonder if it’s a good idea to say something. The answer is always yes, and the sooner the better.
Initiate a conversation and listen to their feelings. Giving a suicidal person the opportunity to express his or her feelings can provide relief from loneliness and pent-up negative feelings, and may prevent a suicide attempt. Allow the individual the opportunity to express despair and anger. No matter how negative they are in expressing themselves, the fact that the conversation is taking place is a positive.
Make sure they know how important they are to you, but don’t believe you can keep them from hurting themselves on your own. Tell the individual that his or her life is important to you and many others, and reassure them that help is available.
The Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center welcomes patients of all ages with a philosophy of providing community-centered care and treatment by utilizing the best practices resulting from ongoing research and medical advancements.
As always, please call 911 for any emergency situation. If you have a mental health emergency, please call 317-880-8485. If you have concerns or questions about your health, the health of someone in your family or are in need of a primary care physician for yourself or someone else, please call 317-880-7666 or visit www.eskenazihealth.edu/doctors.
Dr. Nydia Nunez-Estrada
Family Medicine Physician at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington