Suicide is the permanent solution to a temporary problem when a person’s emotional pain overwhelms them so much that they feel they can’t cope anymore. Suicide is most common in people who are suffering from depression, which could be treated and is common.
- 1 million suicides around the world each year
- 6,000 in the UK and Ireland. 1,500 of those women and 4,5000 men.
The number of young men committing suicide has increased, whereas the number of women committing suicide has decreased.
This could be due to women being able to handle and express their distress better than men can. Men, having the “instrumental role” of the family, tend to have more responsibilities and more stress placed upon them, as they have to deal with more economic pressures.
There are many factors that could lead to someone committing suicide, some being genetic and the others environmentally.
Genetic factors:
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Schizophrenia, a mental disorder that makes it hard for people to think clearly and have normal emotional responses.
Environmental factors:
- Lack of support
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Financial problems
- Relationship problems
Self-harming is causing deliberate harm to ones body through physical abuse, for example cutting of the wrists, pulling hair, bruising deliberately, picking at the skin and even overeating. It is some people’s way of dealing with emotional thoughts and feelings that have been building up for maybe a long period of time. These feelings of anger, feeling trapped, low self esteem, guilt, trauma or maybe even abuse is dealt with by self-harming.
- Hospital admissions for self-harm among 15-17 year old girls has increased from approximately 650 incidents per 100,000 people in 2003-2005 to around 90 per 100,000 in 2006-2008.
How to help
If you know someone who is considering self-harming or even contemplating suicide, there are many things you could and should do to help them.
People who are on the verge of self-harm or suicide usually want someone who will give them their undivided attention and won’t judge them for what they were about to do. Listen to them carefully and don’t try and give them personal solutions and opinions as this may anger and pressurise them.
Help the person who is considering self-harm to understand that it isn’t a shameful secret; it is more of a problem that is solvable. Encourage them to talk to people who deal with these problems, such as The Samaritans.
One possible way of dealing with these problems could be writing a post on The Suicide Project about your experiences anonymously, and even reading through other peoples experiences and how they overcame these with the help of others on the website.
