Life is hard for everyone at some point in time. Failures, disappointments and grief plague every soul on earth, irrespective of the social status of the person. This can drive anyone to feel suicidal simply in order to get rid of the problems. However, there is a marked difference in having suicidal thoughts and actually going ahead with it. Only a trained and professional psychologist can walk the fine line and check if the person actually wants to end their life. But you have to take the onus of leading such a person to a psychologist. In this blog post, we are discussing some symptoms that can help you identify a person with suicidal thoughts.
Let’s look at some stats now. You will be amazed to know that about 800,000 Americans attempt suicide every year! 30,000 of them are successful. Women outnumber men by 3 times in the number of people attempting suicide, but 4 times the number of men attempting suicide is successful. The first symptom of spotting something with suicidal tendencies lies in these stats. It is usually a person who talks about a definite plan to end their life. It may be in the middle of a casual conversation or while brooding loudly. If you notice that the person is talking about concrete steps that can make suicide successful, you should guide the person to a psychologist immediately.
Another telltale symptom is when the person decides to give away precious personal possessions, like their music CDs or books. Then you know that they are preparing themselves mentally to pull the trigger, so to speak. It can also be a sudden change, like preparing a will or dividing property among children. You may notice that the person is no longer taking any interest in an otherwise loved pursuit. Such steps are taken by suicidal people because that try hard to detach themselves from life. Otherwise, they cannot take the ultimate step.
When you identify such a person, don’t panic and scare the person. Gently and firmly lead them to a psychologist, while offering your unconditional support. Tag along someone who the concerned person loves. When suicidal people start feeling the love again, they are deterred. But don’t ignore consulting a trained psychologist. Such thoughts can recur unless you get professional help.