Pieta asks you to see ‘Signs of Suicide’

THE worry of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect people’s mental health and in the month where we marked World Suicide Prevention Day, Pieta House is asking you to ‘ Know the Signs’.

Pieta – the suicide prevention charity - is launching a new campaign called ‘ Signs of Suicide’. It is a public awareness drive to help people identify what signs to watch and listen out for if someone they know is considering taking their own life.

‘Here at Pieta, since the beginning of March, we have answered over 10,000 calls to our 24/7 suicide, self-harm and suicide bereavement crisis line,’ says Pieta’s Clinical Director, Dr. Samuel Gower. ‘ The world as we know it has changed drastically this year, and now more than ever, it is important to look out for signs of suicide. There are often times where families speak to us following suicide bereavement, wishing they had known what to look out for or what to say. It is so important for people to know these signs, and to never be afraid to reach out to a loved one and start the conversation if they think they are struggling with suicidal thoughts.’

In Ireland, the overall suicide rate for males is three times higher than for females. When a loved-one or friend is behaving in a worrying way, it is difficult to know how to help them. Pieta is urging everyone to know the ’Signs of Suicide’ when someone is considering taking their own life, so that you can help your loved one to move away from suicide, and towards hope.

Most people who talk about suicide do not want to die. They simply want to stop the pain they feel.

Signs to listen for:

Talking or writing about hurting themselves, dying or saying that they want to die; Talking about ways to die or having a suicide plan; Saying that they are ‘ trapped’ or have no options in their life Saying they have no purpose in their life, that they feel hopeless. Signs to watch out for:

Engaging in self-harm or reckless, risk taking behaviour; Giving items away or saying goodbye to people; Becoming more inward looking and withdrawing from family and friends; Increasing their use of drugs or alcohol.

When you know the signs, you can follow three simple steps, A.P.R. (Ask – Persuade – Refer) – and just like CPR, it can save a life.

If someone opens up to you, don’t be afraid to Ask them directly if they are thinking of suicide or want to kill themselves.

For more information and help visit www.pieta.ie.