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Sep 10

Suicide: World Suicide Prevention Day

Lorrena Areosa

 

"Every suicide is a tragedy”

– Margaret Chan, former director general of WHO

 

Suicide refers to taking one’s own life. Research indicates that 720,000 individuals die every year by suicide. With each death, another 8 to 10 lives changed forever. The intention here is to bring awareness to this important date and topic; identify warning signs and underline how ‘talking’ and seeking support can aid prevention.

 

What We Know

The reasons individuals commit suicide involve psychological, environmental, and biological factors across the lifespan. Suicide is among the leading causes of death for young adults. The suicide rate is higher in men, than in women, possibly due to gender stereotypes and differences in help-seeking behaviour. Finally, about 70% of suicides globally, occur in low – to – middle income countries.

 

Warning Signs

Talking about:

  • Wanting to die

  • Being a burden to others

  • Feeling intense guilt or shame

 

Feeling:

  • Empty, worthless, hopeless, trapped, desperate

  • Extreme sadness, anxiety, agitation or rage

  • Unbearable emotional/ physical pain

 

Changes in behaviour, such as:

  • Increased substance use

  • Planning or researching ways to die




  • Saying goodbye, giving items away, writing a note

  • Withdrawal from friends/ family/ social isolation

  • Changes in eating and/or sleeping patterns

  • Losing interest in personal appearance or hygiene

  • Recklessness, taking dangerous risks

 

In a positive light, there are protective factors, like:

  • Access to appropriate mental health services

  • Supportive environments/ healthy relationships

  • A sense of purpose, belonging, and meaning in life

  • A sense of connectedness with friends/ community

 

If you are seeking mental health support, do not hesitate to reach out to our psychologist Lorrena Areosa. We are here to help you.

 

If you are in crisis/ need immediate care, contact/ visit:

Rashid or Al Amal Hospital – Adults

Al Jalila Children’s Hospital – Children

 

References

 

Preventing suicide: a global imperative. (2014). In WHO. The World Health Organisation. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/131056/9789241564878_eng.pdf?sequence=8

 

Schell, D., Gillies, J., Johnston, B., & Warwick, L. (2021). Why we need to talk about suicide. Pressbooks. https://opentextbc.ca/suicideawareness/chapter/why-we-need-to-talk-about-suicide/

 

Warning Signs of Suicide – Suicide Prevention Resource Centre. (2020). Retrieved September 5, 2024, from https://sprc.org/warning-signs-for-suicide/

 

Warning Signs of Suicide. (2022). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/warning-signs-of-suicide

 

World Health Organization. (2024). Suicide. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide

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