Myths About Suicide You Need To Understand

Suicide is a prevailing cause of death in the United States and a symptom of untreated mental illness. Detecting the threat and severity of suicide is not as easy as seeing someone crawling out of a window. Signs of suicide are being displayed by our family members, spouses, loved ones, coworkers, and people on the street everyday. The stigmatization of mental illness combined with myths about suicide cause people to be lacking in knowledge. That knowledge could help save a life. Here are some myths about suicide to consider and get informed about:

Suicide can happen at any age

Existential breakdowns are not reserved to any age group. Contemplating the end of one’s own life can happen very early. It can also happen later in life. Children as young as five years old commit intentional suicide. Elderly populations also see a striking percentage of suicides per year. What is the cause? Aside from mental illness, it is the stress of living. A child with additional outside issues to mental illness, such as trauma from abuse, might feel overwhelmed at the prospect of an entire life lying ahead of them. In contrast, an elderly person who has seen life go by might feel overwhelmed at the prospect of living life any longer.

Suicide is impulsive

Suicide is not an overreaction or a moment of awakening as can often be portrayed in film. Most of the time, suicide is carefully planned out. People who are considering suicide will tend to leave obvious hints, as well as less obvious ones. Of the obvious signs includes talking about death or openly asking others about their thoughts on suicide. When you are suspicious of suicidal ideation or intention, it is critical to ask: do you have a plan? Having a detailed plan is a sign that suicide has been thought about for many weeks.

Suicide cannot be prevented or intervened with

Suicide is not inevitable. It is, however, preventable. By learning the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation, you have the ability to confront a loved one and ask how they are doing. Asking someone about suicide will not cause someone to impulsively kill themselves. Instead, it might help them realize they need to seek professional help because their life’s worth living.

If you or a loved one are struggling with Suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK.

For more information on the programs of treatment for addiction and mental illness at Enlightened Solutions, call 833-801-5483 today.