Suicide is a very real risk for people who have self-experience of mental illness. If you experience suicidal thoughts yourself, there a number of things you can do to tackle them.
?The most important action is to be open and confide in other people you trust or talk to a trusted health professional.
?If the thoughts are associated with depression, delusions or other symptoms, then a change in medication may help to get rid of them.
?Keep a list of people who you know you can telephone when you have suicidal thoughts.
?Also keep the numbers of 24 hour services that deal with these issues (Shine can give you a list of numbers).
?Make an agreement with one or more people that you will call them if you actually plan to attempt suicide.
?Remember that you do not have to act on your thought and that with time, they will pass.
?Tell your therapist a friend, a family member, or someone else who can help.
?Distance yourself from any means of suicide.
?Avoid alcohol and other drugs of abuse.
?Avoid doing things you're likely to fail at or find difficult until you're feeling better.
?Make a written schedule for yourself every day and stick to it no matter what.
?In your daily schedule don't forget to schedule at least two 30-minute periods for activities, which in the past have given you some pleasure.
?Take care of your physical health.
?Make sure you spend at least 30-minutes a day outside.
?You may not feel very social but make yourself talk to other people.
Some of the Warning Signs of Suicide:
?Below is a list of some of the signs, which may indicate that someone is thinking of taking their life:
?Being withdrawn or unable to relate to people around them.
?Having definite ideas of how to kill themselves, and/or speaking of tidying up affairs or giving other indications of planning suicide.
?Talking about feeling isolated and lonely.
?Expressing feelings of failure, uselessness, hopelessness or loss of self-esteem.
?Constantly dwelling on problems for which there seem to be no solutions.
?Hearing voices, which may be instructing them to do something dangerous.
?Early morning waking and loss of appetite.
Remember, some of these warning signs/risk factors can be associated with everyday behaviour. Look at them in the context of the overall behaviour of the individual. It is also important to bear in mind that sometimes warning signs are not at all evident. However, the more warning signs/risk factors, the higher the risk.
Always stress to your relative or friend that their life is important to you and to others and that his or her suicide would be a tremendous and upsetting loss to you, not a relief. If suicide is attempted, contact the emergency services and phone someone to come and be with you.
SI?s Life Hope Suicide Prevention through Information and Counselling Project
For more information on this project including Life Hope suicide prevention workshops offered around the country, please contact the head SI office at 01 860 1620 for full details.
For further information on this topic, please find documents and links listed below.
Document Title
Schizophrenia Ireland Life Hope: Suicide Prevention Project
This web site is intended to provide information about suicide prevention in Ireland. The NSRG operates under the following terms of reference: to review trends in suicidal behaviour; to co-ordinate research; and to make recommendations to the Health Board Chief Executive Officers.
Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
If you are feeling suicidal now, please stop long enough to read this. It will only take about five minutes. I do not want to talk you out of your bad feelings. I am not a therapist or other mental health professional - only someone who knows what it is like to be in pain.
Befrienders listen to people who are lonely, despairing or considering suicide. They don't judge them, don't tell them what to do. They listen. That may not sound much - but it can make the difference between life and death.
There is a network of Suicide Prevention Resource Officers appointed in the Health Service Executive (HSE) across Ireland that provide information on local support services for those who have been bereaved through suicide.
The LifeSIGNS booklet is written by the Directors of LifeSIGNS who have personal experience of self-injury. This third edition has been revised and expanded to consider self-injury from a personal and professional point of view, and addresses issue about self-help, self-injury in schools, and how parents and health care workers can help someone who self-injures. People who self-injure will recognise the frank material in this booklet, and carers and friends will discover more about how to address self-injury.
