HOW CAN YOU PREVENT SUICIDES?

Pay attention to the warning signs

▪ given by the other individual.

Contact a psychiatrist or physician for ▪ medical treatment.

Remind the individual at risk about the ▪ people who love him/her.

Remind the individual about the

▪ positive qualities that she/he has.

Hug or appreciate the individual at risk ▪ and show support.

Ask the individual at risk to take deep ▪ breaths.

SIGNS

These are often shown by the individual ▪ at risk before committing suicide.

Sense of worthlessness, helplessness ▪ and hopelessness

Sense of being a burden and no sense ▪ of love towards oneself

Talks that he/she will commit suicide ▪

Social withdrawal and not taking ▪ interest in the world around or staying aloof

Depressive symptoms and severe mood ▪ swings

Sleep disturbances, significant change ▪ in the person’s weight and appetite

Diminished ability to think, concentrate, ▪ slowed thinking and indecisiveness

Showing disheartened behaviour like

▪ giving away one’s prized possession and bidding everyone goodbye.

ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN SUICIDE PREVENTION

Each school must have a

▪ school counsellor

All children should be

▪ referred to counselling at least once a month

Focus on children who had ▪ a sudden drop in academic performance and look for academic and personal reasons behind it.

Mental health awareness ▪ talks and programmes.

Inculcating positive life

▪ orientation in children

It brings a positive

▪ approach to life and helps in alleviation of depression.

Notify parents immediately. ▪ Have discussions with them about risk behaviours and how to deal with it. They are aware of family dynamics, recent traumatic events etc. and help in dealing with it.

ROLE OF PARENTS

Any verbal threat of suicide ▪ should be taken seriously. Do not think “those who speak do not commit suicide”. They do. Avoid assuming behaviour is attention seeking. Continue to take threats seriously even after the child calms down or informs the parent “he didn’t mean it.”