Suicide prevention

World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, 2010,

2010-08-26T01:42:00.000-07:00

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY is an opportunity for all sectors of the community - the public, charitable organizations, communities, researchers, clinicians, practitioners, politicians and policy makers, volunteers, those bereaved by suicide, other interested groups and individuals - to join with the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the WHO to focus public attention on the unacceptable burden and costs of suicidal behaviours with diverse activities to promote understanding about suicide and highlight effective prevention activities.
Those activities may call attention to the global burden of suicidal behaviour, and discuss local, regional and national strategies for suicide prevention, highlighting cultural initiatives and emphasising how specific prevention initiatives are shaped to address local cultural conditions.
Initiatives which actively educate and involve people are likely to be most effective in helping people learn new information about suicide and suicide prevention. Examples of activities which can support World Suicide Prevention Day include:
• Launching new initiatives, policies and strategies on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th.
• Holding conferences, open days, educational seminars or public lectures and panels
• Writing articles for national, regional and community newspapers and magazines
• Holding press conferences
• Placing information on your website and using the IASP World Suicide Prevention Day banner, now available in over 30 languages, promoting suicide prevention in one’s native tongue (http://www.iasp.info/wspd/2010_wspd_banner.php)
• Securing interviews and speaking spots on radio and television
• Organizing memorial services, events, candlelight ceremonies or walks to remember those who have died by suicide
• Asking national politicians with responsibility for health, public health, mental health or suicide prevention to make relevant announcements, release policies or make supportive statements or press releases on WSPD
• Holding depression awareness events in public places and offering screening for depression
• Organizing cultural or spiritual events, fairs or exhibitions
• Organizing walks to political or public places to highlight suicide prevention
• Holding book launches, or launches for new booklets, guides or pamphlets
• Distributing leaflets, posters and other written information
• Organising concerts, BBQs, breakfasts, luncheons, contests, fairs in public places
• Writing editorials for scientific, medical, education, nursing, law and other relevant journals
• Disseminating research findings
• Producing press releases for new research papers
• Holding training courses in suicide and depression awareness
• Becoming a Facebook Fan of the IASP (http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Association-for-Suicide-Prevention/115204064521)
• Following the IASP on Twitter (www.twitter.com/IASPinfo), tweeting #WSPD or #suicide or #suicideprevention
• Creating a video about suicide prevention

for more information please log on

www.iasp.info/wspd

2010-01-01T04:57:00.000-08:00

World Suicide Prevention Day - 10th September 2009

2009-08-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10th each year as an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). The theme in 2009 is "Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures." Begun in 2003, the purpose of World Suicide Prevention Day is to improve education about suicide, disseminate information, decrease stigmatization and, most importantly, raise awareness that suicide is preventable.

World Suicide Prevention Day 2009, "Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures" provides an opportunity to remind people that suicide is influenced by cultural, religious, legal, historical, philosophical and traditional factors and that these contexts need to be taken into account in considering suicide prevention. Suicide needs to be understood in terms of its cultural background, and, to save lives, suicide prevention programs need to be tailored to different cultural contexts.

Click here to download this September 10, 2009 World Suicide Prevention Day full announcement by IASP in PDF format.

Suicide prevention related song

2009-06-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

This is a song supports people with depression and may intent to commite sucide. Regular listning keeps the song murmuring in mind that maintains a positive, affermative state of mind by PALLAV PANDYA.

you can prevent suicide

2009-05-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

You Can Prevent Suicide

View more presentations from Kumar Mahi.

Suicide in India- NCRB report

2009-02-25T02:53:00.000-08:00

SUICIDES IN INDIA -2007- NCRB report
♦ 14 Suicides took place every hour.
♦ More than one lakh persons (1,22,637) in the country lost their lives by committing
suicide during the year 2007.
♦ It is observed that social and economic causes have led most of the males to commit
suicides whereas emotional and personal causes have mainly driven females to end
their lives.
♦ Suicides because of ‘Family Problems’ (23.8%) and ’Illness’ (22.3%) combined
accounted for 46.1% of total Suicides.
♦ The number of suicides due to 'Dowry Dispute' showed a significant increase of 34.8%.
♦ 1 each in every 3 suicide victims was a youth (15-29 years) and middle aged (30-44
years)
♦ The overall male:female ratio of suicide victims for the year 2007 was 65:35, however,
the proportion of Boys : Girls suicide victims (upto 14 years of age) was 48:52.
♦ Nearly 47.0% of the suicide victims were married males while 24.5% were married
females.
♦ Five States – Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka –
accounted for 65.4% of suicide victims in the age group 60 years and above.
♦ 71.5% of the suicide victims were married while 20.8% were un-married.
♦ 25.2% of the suicide victims were primary educated and 24.2% were middle educated.
♦ 1 suicide for every 5 suicide is committed by a Housewife.
♦ 41.9% of suicide victims were self employed while only 6.9% were un-employed and
11.9% were salaried.
♦ Government servants were merely 1.5% of the total suicide victims.
♦ Maharashtra (12.4%), Andhra Pradesh (12.1%), West Bengal (12.1%), Tamil Nadu
(11.3%) and Karnataka (10.0%) contributed 57.9% of total suicide victims.
♦ West Bengal has reported the highest number of suicidal deaths during the years 2005-
2006, accounting for 13.2% and 13.3% of total such deaths in the country, but its share
went down to 12.1% of total suicides in 2007.
♦ Southern States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have
accounted for 40.7% of total suicides reported in the country.
♦ Puducherry has reported 48.6 suicidal deaths per one lakh of population as against the
National average of 10.8.

♦ Almost half (47.4%) children suicide victims belonged to four states – West Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
♦ Puducherry reported the highest rate of suicide (48.6) followed by Andaman & Nicobar
Islands (38.5), D & N Haveli (29.6), Kerala (26.3) and Karnataka (21.6).
♦ D & N Haveli has reported significant increase in Suicides in 2007 over 2006 (an
increase of 84.3%) followed by Bihar (56.1%).
♦ The highest number of Mass/Family Suicides cases were reported from Kerala (39)
followed by Andhra Pradesh (34) and Madhya Pradesh (12) out of total of 100 cases.
♦ 35.05% of the suicide victims consumed poison; 31.7% of the victims died by hanging,
8.5% by Fire/Self-Immolation and 6.8% by Drowning. The trend of Suicide by Hanging
has been mixed during last 3 years (32.1% in 2005, 32.8% in 2006 & 31.7% in 2007)
while Suicide by Poisoning showed a decreasing trend (36.6% in 2005, 35.5% in 2006
and 35.0% in 2007).
♦ Bengaluru (2,429), Chennai (2,313), Delhi (1,246) and Mumbai (1,141) – the four cities
together have reported almost 50% of the total suicides reported from 35 mega cities.
♦ Bengaluru city has reported the highest rate of 42.7 and Kolkata reported the lowest rate
at 1.5 only among 35 cities.
♦ The pattern of suicides reported from 35 cities showed that ‘Hanging’ (39.3%),
‘Poisoning’ (19.9%) and ‘Fire/Self Immolation’ (12.2%) were the prominent means
adopted by the suicide victims in the cities.
♦ There is significant increase in number of suicides (162.2%) in Patna (from 37 in 2006 to
97 in 2007) while Asansol showed sharp decline of 36.7% (from 324 suicides in 2006 to
205 suicides in 2007).
♦ The suicide rate in cities (13.3) was higher as compared to All-India suicide rate (10.8).

Thinking patterns of suicidal

2009-01-18T02:16:00.000-08:00

"Suicide is a cry for help not a wish to die"

• Thinking in circles – confusion
• Living in the past
• Worrying about future
• Self or blame others
• Looking for perfection in self – others
• Focusing on fixing another
• Self-defeating feelings – I am unlovable, worthless
• Narrow thinking

You can be a volunteer to prevent suicide

2009-01-13T04:56:00.000-08:00

"Listening to some one can prevent suicide"

The rate of suicide and attempted suicide has gone up steadily over recent years. It shows that more and more people find the pressures of living increasingly harder to cope with. Befriending centers exists to emotionally support and understand people who are in crisis. A place one can talk freely and share one’s problems. This timely support, when a person feels that life is not worth living, helps to prevent suicide. You can be a volunteer to prevent suicide if you are willing to spare your time for others and are able to listen supportively and empathetically to any who is lonely or has even come to the point when they feel life is no longer worth living.
Volunteers come from every possible walk of life, but they are all united by one common bond, concern for life. If you would like to be part of befrienders worldwide organization to prevent suicide please follow the link and select the nearest centre and contact them they will guide you

If you are in India please follow the link below

India centeres

If you are from other country please follow the link below

Befrienders Worldwide centers

Thank you for your time and consideration

The state of mind of suicidal persons

2008-12-29T05:53:00.000-08:00

"Asking help is a courageous act"

1. Ambivalence : Most people have mixed feelings about committing suicide. The wish to live and the wish to die wage a sea-saw battle in the suicidal individual. There is an urge to get away from the pain of living and an undercurrent of the desire to live. Many suicidal persons do not really want to die - it is just that they are unhappy with life. If support is given and the wish to live is increased, suicidal risk is decreased.

2. Impulsivity: Suicide is also an impulsive act. Like any other impulse, it is transient and lasts for a few minutes or hours. It is usually triggered by negative day to day events. By defusing such crises and by playing for time, the suicide wish can be reduced.

3. Rigidity: When a person is suicidal, his or her thinking, feelings and actions are constricted. They constantly think about suicide and are unable to perceive other ways out of the problem. They think drastically.

A majority of suicidal people communicate their suicidal thoughts and intentions. They often send out signals and make statements about “wanting to die”, “feeling useless” etc. Ignoring all those pleas for help would indeed be a tragedy.
Whatever the problems, the feelings and thoughts of the suicidal person are the same all around the world.

Feelings Thoughts
Sad, depressed “I wish I were dead”
Lonely “I can’t do anything”
Helpless “I can’t take it anymore”
Hopeless “I am a loser and a burden”
Worthless,Angry “Others will be happier without me”

why people commit suicide

2008-12-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

"Depression is Treatable. Suicide is Preventable "

In tolerable life situations such as loss, illness, guilt, shame
Characterological factors such as impulsive, highly emotional
Cognitive causes such as self-punishment, hopeless, self-destructive thoughts
Serious psychotic illness such as depression, schizopherinia
Existential reasoning such as it is better to die than to live in prison

what ever the reasons may be the person who feels suicidal may think

no one understand me
no one accept me
no one respect my feelings

The only thing make the person feeling of suicidal is

L-lack
O-of
S-support
S-system

To do and not to do

2008-12-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

"Suicide is never a Surprise"

Do’s

Listen. Show empathy, and be calm.

Be supportive and caring

Take the situation seriously and assess the degree of risk

Ask about previous attempts

Explore possibilities other than suicide

Ask about suicide plan

Buy time – make a contract

Identify other supports

Remove the means, if possible

Take action, tell others, get help

If the risk is high, stay with the person

Don’ts

Ignore the situation

Be shocked or embarrassed and panic

Say everything will be all right

Challenge the person to go ahead

Give advice

Make the problem appear trivial

Give false assurances

Swear to secrecy

Leave them alone

Suicide warning signs

2008-12-12T14:48:00.001-08:00

Signals to look for:

1. Withdrawn behaviour. Inability to relate to family and friends.

2. Psychiatric illness

3. Alcoholism

4. Anxiety or panic

5. Change in personality – irritability, pessimism, depression, apathy

6. Change in eating habits / sleeping habits

7. Earlier suicide attempt

8. Hating oneself, feeling guilty, worthless or ashamed

9. A recent major loss – death, divorce, separation etc

10. Family history of suicide

11. Sudden desire to tidy up one’s affairs – writing a will etc.

12. Feeling of loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness

13. Suicide notes

14. Physical ill helth

15. Repeated mention of death/ suicide

Suicide Facts & Fiction

2008-12-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

Facts and Fiction

Be aware of the fiction and fact about suicide

FICTION: People who talk about it don't commit suicide

FACT: Most people who kill themselves have given definite warnings of their intentions.

FICTION: Suicidal people are absolutely intent upon dying.

FACT: Most suicidal people are ambivalent about living or dying; they gamble with death but may retain some desire to live.

FICTION: Suicide happens without warning.

FACT: Suicidal people often give indications of their thoughts (sometimes before the thoughts have become intentions) by words or actions.

FICTION: Once a person becomes suicidal he remains suicidal forever.

FACT: Suicidal thoughts may return, but they are not permanent, and in some people they may never return.

FICTION: After a crisis, improvement means that the suicide risk is over.

FACT: Many suicides occur in a period of improvement, when the person has the energy and will to turn despairing thoughts into self-destructive action.

FICTION: Suicide occurs mainly in the poor/rich.

FACT: Suicide occurs in all groups of society.

FICTION: Suicidal behaviour is a sign of mental illness.

FACT: Suicidal behaviour indicates deep unhappiness but not necessarily mental illness.

FICTION: You are either the suicidal type or you are not and that is it.

FACT: It could happen to anybody.

someone takes their own lives, why? can we do something?

2008-12-09T03:22:00.000-08:00

Suicide is a subject the most shunned, the most hated and the most un talked about. But suicidal thoughts and feelings can overtake anyone, of any age and belonging to any walk of life. it is a result of the deep unhappiness which is often unheard, neglected and misconceived for it is construed that, one who talk about suicide may not commit suicide. Suicide is a cry for help, expressing the wish to life and the compulsion to die.

A person which suicide thought is always caught in ambivalent, impulsive and urge. A suicide attempts is often not an attempt to die, but to communicate someone about their deep unhappiness or they want to stop their unpleasant, painful state of their mind.

Suicide happens when a person feels incompatible with the world. When the person has no one to talk to and understand and when all the doors are closed and thinks that suicide is the only solution.

Global context

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are around 1 million suicides every year and for every suicide there are approximately 20 attempted suicides, but urgently need access to appropriate emotional support or intervention services.

With this blog I just encourage others to think about suicide and do something to prevent it.