What is suicide?
Suicide is the death of someone as a result of an intentional act to end their own life. When someone ends his own life, we say that he "died by suicide."
It's worth remembering that this is a preventable type of death and the entire community can contribute to helping someone who is at risk.
Is suicide a public health problem?
Yes. Suicide and suicide attempts are public health problems around the world, impacting families, but also their community and society.
It is estimated that in Portugal about three people die by suicide every day.
What are the alarm signs?
In serious situations, people at risk of suicide have changes in their usual behaviour, even if they don't realise it. These warning signs are usually noticeable and are an opportunity to offer help.
The presence of one or more of these signs does not imply that the person intends to commit suicide: the only way to know for sure is to ask.
Be on the lookout for the following warning signs, which are common in a person at risk of suicide:
- have difficulty concentrating
- Says he has no hope for the future
- Walks more isolated
- is frequently irritated or has extreme mood swings
- has constant changes in appetite
- sleeps too much or too little
- consumes alcohol or drugs
- Talks about wanting to die or wanting to kill yourself
- acts anxiously, agitatedly, or recklessly, without thinking about the consequences of their actions
- Say they feel like a burden to others or feel guilty
- Doesn't see a solution to problems or feels trapped
- lost interest in his own appearance
- Lost interest in usual activities (work, school, social activities, sports...)
- He is looking for or has already sought ways to kill himself
- recently donated significant personal assets
- you have suffered a recent significant loss (death of a loved one, unemployment, loss of economic or social status)
- organizes life and prepares for the moment of death (saved money for the funeral or wrote a will)
Are there factors that increase the risk of suicide?
yes. Some characteristics and life contexts may be associated with increased suicide risk, such as:
- Being a man
- be over 45 years old
- having thoughts or plans of suicide
- have easy access to means to hurt oneself
- having attempted suicide
- know someone who has committed suicide
- being isolated/not having a support network
- having mental illness
- being impulsive/having a tendency to act without thinking
- being widowed, divorced, or single
- abusing alcohol and/or drugs
- have a serious or limiting illness
- Not having hope for the future
Can a person who has already attempted suicide try again?
yes. People with a previous history of suicide attempt have a higher risk of suicide.
After discharge from hospitalization for suicidal behaviors or serious mental illness, it is important that the person continues to be properly monitored, as it is a period of increased risk.
Do mental health problems increase the risk of suicide?
yes. About 90% of suicide cases have a previous psychiatric history, namely:
Therefore, it is important to monitor people living with these diseases so that the risk is reduced.
Is the incidence of suicide in men higher than in women?
yes. Men die more by suicide than women. However, women attempt suicide three times more often than men.
This may be due to the fact that men use more lethal means of suicide and are usually involved in more aggressive and violent forms of behaviour.
Are there protective factors against suicide?
yes. As opposed to risk factors, protective factors are the characteristics and behaviors that help reduce the risk of suicide. Thus, it can be protective to have:
- good support and support from family, friends and colleagues
- Ability to solve problems and adapt to change
- Good self-esteem, plans for the future, and life satisfaction
- sense of responsibility for family and pets, among others
- religious, cultural, or moral beliefs that discourage suicide
- Limited access to materials that may hurt
- access to health, education and social services
- any mental health problems identified early on and with appropriate follow-up and treatment
Is suicide always an impulsive act?
No. Many people have had thoughts of suicide and planned the act before committing suicide.
Why don't people ask for help?
People who think about suicide are likely to have intense feelings of loneliness, incomprehension, and hopelessness. Faced with these feelings, there may be several reasons why they do not ask for help, such as the fear of:
- to be judged
- Not to be taken seriously
- Worry others
- Thinking they won't be understood
- be targets of prejudice
How can I help someone at risk of suicide?
We can all help someone at risk of suicide. To do this, it is important to:
- Recognize the Alarm Signs
- Take Requests for Help Seriously
- know how to listen carefully to the person at risk, without making value judgments
- Do not devalue or minimize the feelings of the other
- Asking Directly About Thoughts of Suicide
- encourage seeking professional help
- in case of risk to life, call for immediate help through INEM's 112
Should I take seriously someone who talks openly about suicide? Or could it be manipulation?
Many people who are thinking about suicide communicate this intention in advance. Therefore, you should take all conversations in this direction seriously and not take requests for help as manipulation or calls for attention.
Often, this conversation is a way to fight the idea of suicide and the right time to encourage the person at risk to ask for help.
If someone transmits warning signs, should I ask directly if they are thinking about suicide?
Yes. If someone gives you warning signs, you can ask them directly if they are thinking about committing suicide. In addition, you should encourage the person at risk to ask for help.
Does talking about suicide encourage suicide
?No, suicide is not encouraged by talking to someone about it. Talking about the person's emotional state is important to reduce suicidal ideation, alleviate feelings that are causing distress, and help seek professional help.
What is a suicide by contagion?
Copycat suicide is the phenomenon that occurs after exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors within a family, peer group, or through reports of suicide in the media. This can result in an increase in the number of cases of suicide and suicidal behavior.
Direct or indirect exposure to suicidal behaviors has been shown to result in an increase in these behaviors in people at risk of suicide, especially adolescents and young adults.
Therefore, whenever suicide is publicly discussed, prevention should be called for and the risk factors and ways to ask for help should be clarified. It is important that the information conveyed is not sensationalist and that it is not too graphic or detailed in describing the methods used to cause death.
I have thoughts of suicide. Where can I ask for help?
Thoughts of suicide can affect anyone, of any age or gender and at any time. If you have thoughts of suicide, it is likely that there has been a sense of hopelessness and worthlessness for some time. You may not know what sparked these ideas. It is usually a combination of factors and there may not be an obvious cause.
It's natural for you to feel like there's nothing you can do. It's not true. He has someone to turn to for help.
If you have thoughts of suicide or want to help someone, you can contact:
- the mental health service of your local hospital to adults or to children and adolescents
- the SNS 24 Line – 808242424
- in case of emergency, life-threatening, immediately call INEM 112
Source: National Coordination of Mental Health Policies (CNPSM)