Suicide is preventable. Once a life is lost to suicide we as a society have a tendency to look back and discover multiple events which might have gone wrong culminating in the final act. This forces us to ask ourselves the most important question of all- could it have been prevented? This starts a debate that goes on for a while. People blaming each other, questioning their motives, offering unsolicited solutions to problems that no one knew existed. Its important for us to stop beating around the bush and directly get to the root of the menace if we have to have any chance of tackling the issue. The first step towards achieving our target is to spread awareness in the community about what suicide is, and more importantly about what it is not. We are a superstitious society. We have multiple beliefs that have been ingrained into our culture over generations that we find difficult to discard even though they might seem to be irrational. The same issue plagues our concept about suicide. There are a few myths and misconceptions that we associate with suicide that prevents us from getting a clearer understanding and there cannot be victory unless we know our enemy well. So read on and debunk the most common myths about suicide that today’s society believes in.
1. Myth- Talking about suicide is a bad idea as it might encourage the person to actually go ahead and commit it.
Fact- People in our society mostly avoid talking about suicide as there is still a huge stigma attached to it. People often hide their suicidal thoughts not knowing who to reach out to. What we need to realize is that in most cases suicidal thoughts are just like any other impulse that comes and goes like the waves crashing against the shore. Talking about suicide at that moment makes the individual consider other options and rethink his or her decision, thereby preventing the act. Its also not possible to instill suicidal thoughts in someone’s mind who isn’t already suicidal, by merely talking to him or her about it. So talk and listen. Giving someone a few minutes of your time can make all the difference.
2. Myth- Only people with mental disorders are suicidal.
Fact- Suicidal thoughts indicate that a person is very unhappy. Being unhappy doesn’t automatically mean that he or she has a mental disorder. Although suicidal ideas are seen in many mental disorders like depression, not all people who commit suicide are mentally ill. Its important that those with death wish should get themselves evaluated by a mental health expert to correctly diagnose the condition before any assumptions are made about their mental health status.
3. Myth- Most suicides happen suddenly without warning.
Fact- Most suicides are preceded by warning signs that can be picked up in time and preventive measures can be taken.Certain behavioral changes seen in the person or certain things that they have said in the past could indicate the presence of suicidal ideas. But one can’t pick those subtle signs if one’s not aware of them. I plan to write a detailed article about the warning signs of suicide to guide caregivers and help them supervise their loved ones better.
4. Myth- Someone who is suicidal is determined to die.
Fact- As I have mentioned before, most suicidal attempts are impulsive. They occur in the heat of the moment without any planning. One brief episode of anger, anxiety or hopelessness can trigger a suicidal act that the person regrets later. People who attempt suicide often die due to the complications of their injuries at a later stage, having regretted every single day since the attempt about their choices and decisions. Getting emotional support and help at the correct time can help people overcome their destructive impulses and stay alive.
5. Myth- People who talk about suicide won’t actually do it.
Truth- There is this concept that those who reach out to others for help aren’t actually serious about suicide and are only doing so to direct attention towards themselves and stay in the spotlight. People dismiss it as attention seeking behavior. It is seen that most people reach out to someone or the other before taking the dreaded step of ending their lives. We have to ensure that their final cry for help and support should not go unanswered. The act of reaching out for help by verbalizing their distress might be their final ray of hope that we have to acknowledge.
6. Myth- Suicide is a sign of those who are mentally weak.
Truth- We often tell people harbouring suicidal thoughts to just snap out of their depression. We tell them to make themselves mentally stronger, criticize them for being escapists and not facing life’s challenges head on. What we fail to realize is that although our intentions might be right, people with suicidal ideas need to be referred to specialist mental health professionals for proper assessment and therapy. The strongest and the most well placed people without any apparent problems in their lives have been known to commit suicide. The issue is universal, affecting all strata of society. The rich and the poor, the famous and the unknown, suicide is not known to discriminate. We better be prepared.
We now know the most common myths about suicide and truth behind each one of them. This distinction is imperative if we have to build a society which encourages discussions about suicide instead of seeing it as a taboo. It’s time we bring our discussions out in the open and abolish the stigma once and for all. The recent months with reports of several well known people committing suicide have been disheartening to say the least.Whenever some well known person loses his or her life due to suicide it triggers intense nationwide discussions involving experts from various fields all throughout the country, only for silence to take over again after a while.For any permanent change to take place the discussions will have to take place not only on television channels but in our society, house and family. They have to take place continuously and not intermittently. They have to be a part of our daily lives.