Suicide Prevention: Getting Help and Finding Hope

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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Alarmingly, the CDC recently reported that the number of suicides in the United States has been on the rise since 1999 among both men and women and in all age groups, and is the 10th leading cause of death. Suicide and suicidal ideation are often misunderstood, especially by those who may have never struggled with mental illness or addiction—although some experts say that most people have at least though about suicide at one point or another. It’s important to understand the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and to intervene if you know someone who needs help.

If you are currently in a crisis and feel that you have no reason to keep living, please call 1-800-273-TALK or go to http://www.suicideprevention.org to chat with someone online now.

The Mind of a Suicidal Person

In his book, The Suicidal Mind, Edwin Shneidman describes 10 commonalities among people who attempt or commit suicide.

1. Common Purpose: A person who is having suicidal thoughts is seeking a solution to a problem that is causing them extreme emotional pain and suffering.
2. Common Goal: The ultimate goal of suicide is an end to consciousness. People who have reached this point in their suffering may believe it is the only possible solution to the problem.
3. Common stimulus: Thoughts of suicide and attempted suicide are typically the result of psychological pain that the person finds unacceptable and unbearable.

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