Suicide Ideation is a very sensitive topic to handle. However, for the sake of awareness, we are here today to have a look into suicide ideation and how to fight it . What is suicide Ideation? You may ask yourself. Join me as I take a look at it in this article.
Suicide Ideation is simply defined as Thinking about or planning suicide. In most cases,, experts refer to it as Suicidal thoughts and it involves a person thinking about ending their own life. People however say that suicidal ideation involves actively planning suicide, whereas suicidal thoughts do not necessarily indicate a person has the intention to end their life.
However, others consider planning as a separate category and believe that suicidal thoughts and ideation are actually the same. Suicidal ideation is quite common.
Remember that suicide is connected to other forms of injury and violence. For example, people who have experienced violence, including child abuse, bullying, or sexual violence, have a higher suicide risk.
Suicidal thoughts have many causes. Most often, suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can’t cope when you’re faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation. If you don’t have hope for the future, you may mistakenly think suicide is the most possible solution, even when it is not. You may experience a sort of tunnel vision, where in the middle of a crisis you believe suicide is the only way out because you don’t see light at the end of the tunnel.
According to experts, there also may be a genetic link to suicide. People who commit suicide or who have suicidal thoughts or behavior are more likely to have a family history of suicide, which is why we decided to take a look into suicide ideation, its causes and how to fight it.
If you want to critically take a look at suicide ideation and how to fight it, you need to keep note that a person who is thinking about or planning suicide may show changes in their speech, feelings, and also behavior. They, in most cases talk about specific things and these include:
Their feelings of guilt or shame
In most cases, when a person starts to let off about feeling guilty over a certain thing, or about feeling shameful over something that they did or something that happened to them, there are very high chances that they are faced with suicide ideation and they need immediate help.
Being a burden to others.
When someone close to you starts withdrawing and talking about being a burden to you or everyone else around them, it is more probable that they are going through a phase of suicide ideation and they need immediate help and support
Death
Talking about death is a sign that the person close to you is having suicidal thoughts. People who are not thinking about death do not have the need or urge to talk about it in the first place so when a person close to you starts talking about death constantly, they need help because they hare having suicidal thoughts.
A person that is going through suicide ideation has various emotions and feelings and if you are to help them , you need to take a look at suicide ideation and how to prevent it. How do I know as a person that I may be facing or having suicidal thoughts? You may wonder. Here are some of the feelings that occur to a person with suicide ideation.
Unbearable emotional pain
When you notice that you have a lot of emotional pain and you are letting off more than you usually do, it could be a sign of suicide ideation. It is very common that a person that is psychologically in pain and sees no way through the pain could have suicidal thoughts because they believe death is the only solution they have left.
Extremely anxious and sad, full of rage, or agitated.
When you notice that you are often anxious, easily saddened, unusually very angry or agitated, it is most likely that you are having suicidal thoughts. It is usually accumulated amounts of stress and bottled up emotions that could lead a person agitation or rage, which are also associated to suicide.
Feeling trapped, hopeless, empty, or with no will to live.
Have you ever felt cornered with nowhere to run and bot even a single soul to turn to? Have you ever lost the will to live or maybe felt like you do not want to live anymore? Then you have had suicidal ideation at a certain point in your life.
Severe fluctuations in mood or mood swings
Once you find yourself having a good mood one minute and then you turn sour the next, it could be due to Suicide ideation.
Sometimes, a person close to you could also be having Suicide ideation but since you can not look into their hearts, you could end up losing them to suicide. There are ways however that you can find out whether the person close to you is suffering with suicide ideation in order to help them. This is why you need to have a look into suicide ideation and how to fight it.
Here are a few symptoms you could look at to determine whether the person close to you is dealing with suicide ideation;
Withdrawing from friends or family
Whether it is your close friend or your relative, once you see them withdrawing from people and keeping more to themselves, something they were not doing before, it could be sign that that person is dealing with suicide ideation.
You will find that a person that has always been around very many people, often being chatty is now keeping a safe distance from people and being alone all of a sudden.
Using alcohol or drugs more frequently
Sometimes, a person that has not been using alcoholic substance or drugs may start using them as a way to escape reality by being drunk. You will find that even a person that has been using alcohol starts to use it more frequently just to be drunk and escape reality
Taking dangerous risks
Once you notice a person has started being careless with their life and acting very dangerously, this means they are no longer afraid to lose their lives and this could be directly because they are planning to end it anyways.
Researching ways to die
When someone close to you starts to research about various ways to die or various ways to end their lives, it certainly points to suicide ideation. A person that has no suicidal thoughts would never think of researching about various ways to die.
Making a plan for their suicide
When someone starts planning out or reciting out their own death, it points to suicide ideation. Sometimes a person may go as far as purchasing a gun or even making their final will. In most cases,, you even find them saying goodbye, most times indirectly to people closest to them.
Giving away important possessions or money
Once a person starts giving away the possessions they treasure the most, it definitely means they are planning to end their lives so they will not be needing those possessions any more.
Suicidal ideation often does not have a single cause but occurs due to a combination of different life events, thoughts, and feelings.
As we take a look at suicide ideation, its causes and how to prevent it, here are a few causes of suicide ideation.
Depression or other mental health conditions.
When one is depressed, it is very easy to get suicidal thoughts. Depression makes one feel very empty inside, unworthy of life and unwanted. This therefore makes them believe that death would be the best option because they would bot be getting in anyone’s way.
A history of suicide attempts.
If a person has ever attempted suicide but they were able to snap out of it, they are very prone to another suicide ideation attack. This period is called a relapse period. A person that has once been suicidal could face a tiny bit of turbulence in their lives and the thoughts of eliminating themselves could occur to them once again.
A family history of suicide, substance misuse, or mental disorders.
Some times a person who comes from a family that has a history of suicide ideation or a past victim of suicide ideation could be very prone to crumbling to suicide ideation.
Chronic pain
Some times, people that have chronic pain find it very unbearable that the thought of death is much simpler for them than actually trying to live through the pain. It gets worse when they see no hope of healing from this kind of pain.
Recent release from prison
When people get out of prison, jt gets difficult for them to merge and fit back into the society. Some of them are even isolated and segregated because of their past criminal records that they end up choosing death over life.
Exposure to family violence, including sexual or physical abuse.
Exposure to violence makes people lose the will to live. Rather than live on when they are being harassed or abused they would rather choose death as an easier escape from the cruelty they are faced with in life.
Sometimes you may notice a family member or a friend showing signs of having suicidal thoughts. When this happens, you need to take a look into suicide Ideation and how to fight it in order to help this person.
How to fight Suicide Ideation.
As a companion
Talking calmly with them in private and expressing care.
You need to talk to the person going through this crisis. Show them care so that they feel loved and accepted. That way, they will feel like they matter and this will reduce the risk of suicide ideation. Remember to speak very calmly while Taking what they say seriously and assuring them that their life matters.
Removing dangerous objects from their reach.
Remember to keep them far from reach of objects like guns, knives, needles and drugs, which they could use to harm themselves. Keep them safely such that they are unable to get ahold of them.
Following up with them after the crisis is over.
Remember that after a person has got help for suicidal ideation, it is never the end of the threat. They could once again face a relapse if you relax and seem not to mind them. Even after they have got treatment or help, reach out to them and check up on them. Show them the same amount of care and support you showed them when they were starting the entire treatment process. This way, they will feel like they matter.
As an Individual
Getting Treatment.
In order to get rid of Suicide Ideology, you will need to treat the underlying cause that is making you have suicidal thoughts. If you don’t treat the underlying cause, your suicidal thoughts are most likely to return. You may feel embarrassed to seek treatment for mental health problems, but getting the right treatment for depression, substance misuse or another underlying problem will make you feel better about life and help keep you safe.
Establish your support network.
It may be hard to talk about suicidal feelings, and your friends and family may not fully understand. Some may even think you have exaggerated your feelings and you may fear that they are most likely not to understand why you feel the way you do. Reach out anyway, and make sure the people who care about you know what’s going on and are there when you need them. You may also want to get help from your place of worship or even other support groups. Feeling connected and supported can help reduce suicide ideology risk.
Do not act impulsively.
Remember, suicidal feelings are temporary. If you feel hopeless or that life’s not worth living anymore, remember that treatment can help you regain your perspective — and life will get better. Take one step at a time and don’t act impulsively.
Taking a look into suicide ideation and how to fight it will teach you that you need to be your own salvation and if you cant save your life then save another because you never know the life you save could turn around and return the favor.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/suicidal-ideation
“I’m trying to let him know what I’m about to do. I’m hoping he can save me, even though I realize he can’t.”
Matthew Quick
Frequently asked questions.
Is it possible to predict suicide?
Not really. At the current time there is no definitive measure to predict suicide or suicidal behavior. Researchers have however identified factors that place individuals at higher risk for suicide, including mental illness, substance abuse, previous suicide attempts, family history of suicide, history of being sexually abused, and impulsive or aggressive tendencies.
What should you do if someone tells you they are thinking about suicide?
Take the initiative to counsel them out of the thought. Remember that Suicide is preventable. Any statements about suicide should be taken seriously and support should be given to the victim.
Is suicide related to impulsiveness?
Yes it is. Impulsiveness is the tendency to act without thinking through a plan or its consequences. It is a symptom of a number of mental disorders, and therefore, it has been linked to suicidal behavior because of its association with mental disorders and/or substance abuse.
Can the risk for suicide be inherited?
No. While suicidal behavior is not genetically inherited, it can be socially learned from significant others and many risk factors for suicide can be inherited.
