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Suicide is a serious public health problem that has far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is estimated that there are currently more than 700,000 suicides worldwide each year, and we know that each suicide has a profound impact on many other people.
During the three-year period 2021-2023. The theme of World Suicide Prevention Day is “Giving Hope through Action”. This slogan serves as a powerful call to action and a reminder that there are alternatives to suicide and that through our actions we can inspire hope and strengthen prevention.
Murad Khan, president of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, states in his message: “There can be many reasons for suicide, which means that there is no one solution to the problem.” However, WHO insists that limiting access to means of suicide is one of the most effective measures to prevent it.
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. The main goal of World Suicide Prevention Day is to reduce the rate of suicide and suicide attempts (parasuicides). And on this day I would like to talk about myths and true facts about suicide, which relate to the circumstances of its commission, the psycho-emotional status of the suicide, the reasons that could push a person to take such a step.
Myth 1: Only people with mental disorders have thoughts of suicide. Reality: Having thoughts of suicide means that a person is deeply unhappy, and this is not always an indicator of mental illness. Many people suffering from any mental disorder, on the contrary, do not have such desires, and, accordingly, not all those who decide to take such a step have a mental illness.
Not only ordinary people, but even doctors are subject to the second myth, namely: you cannot discuss the issue of suicide, because the conversation can encourage a person to do it. In fact, we all know that suicide, as an act of human free will, is actively condemned by society almost all over the world (excluding some eastern countries), and often people who are overcome by suicidal thoughts simply do not know who to talk to about it, so as not to face condemnation. But a frank conversation on this topic can open up other life prospects for a person and give him time to change his mind. Experienced psychotherapists even have this technique when working with suicidal patients: at the end of each meeting, make a verbal promise from the patient that by the next session he will not commit suicide. Sounds weird, but it works!
The third and very common myth goes like this: if someone wants to commit suicide, then no one and nothing can stop it. However, research data clearly shows that many suicides and suicide attempts were preventable. The main thing is to recognize in time that a person is on the edge, and sometimes this can really be difficult. We often hear from loved ones of a suicidal person something along the lines of “He was so funny, I can’t believe he did that” or “Everything in her life was just perfect, she never complained about anything, and here we are.” If you nevertheless perceive a certain critical moment in a person’s life, his poor health, his “last gasp,” it is important to involve him in a conversation in order to gain time and wait for the destructive impulse to fade into the background and come to naught, and also to limit access to means of suicide, being close to a vulnerable person, motivating them to visit mental health professionals.
Myth 4: If someone has suicidal thoughts, that person will be susceptible to them for the rest of their life. This is wrong. The threat of suicide, as a rule, arises in connection with a specific life situation and does not last long. Suicidal thoughts may recur from time to time, but this does not mean that this will always happen. Anyone who once thought about suicide and even tried to do it may subsequently abandon these thoughts forever.
The 5th myth says that a person with suicidal thoughts certainly wants to die, but, paradoxically, everything is quite the opposite: those who think about suicide often suffer from mood swings, they are torn by suffering, painful thoughts, timid hopes, faith, and the desire to live and fight is opposed to the desire to stop everything immediately. Simply put, a person wants to live and die equally strongly. Someone can really succumb to the initial impulse, and after that, if the person is lucky enough to remain alive, he often regrets his attempt. That is why timely emotional support received in this matter is so important, as well as limiting access to means of suicide.
It is believed that most suicides happen suddenly, without any warning signs – and this is the 6th myth. But most suicides are preceded by warning signs that manifest themselves either in words or in behavior. The problem often lies in the indifference and detachment of others, who are often at the mercy of the entire set of myths. Of course, there are cases that take others by surprise, but here it is important to understand in time what is an alarming symptom and to catch this signal, to know what to do in such a situation.
The 7th, also a very common myth, is expressed as follows: a person who talks about suicide does not actually intend to do it and will not commit suicide. This is far from the true state of affairs. The following should be clear: people who talk about suicide may be trying to ask for a helping hand in difficult times. In the weeks or months before suicide, approximately 80% of suicides made their intentions known to loved ones, friends, psychologists or doctors. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows how to directly, openly and confidentially ask for help. Plus, many of those who are thinking about committing suicide experience increased anxiety, depression, a feeling of helplessness and simply do not see a way out of the impasse, this is the so-called “corridor thinking”: I don’t see any options around, there is only darkness everywhere, and the light is only in a loop or on the roof of a high-rise building.
What conclusion should be drawn from this? We should be more attentive to each other and more careful about the feelings and experiences of other people, trust and help each other and be always ready to help in a difficult situation.
Currently, suicide prevention in healthcare organizations is carried out by all medical workers. One of the means of suicide prevention is consultations conducted by psychologists and psychotherapists via a helpline. Although many of our compatriots have a prejudice against turning to doctors with mental problems, and that is why the main task in prevention activities is to instill psychological literacy in the population, raise the level of culture regarding the need to take care of their mental health in a timely manner, and eradicate the fear of contacting specialists in the field mental health care.
