Identifying someone suicidal and getting them help
FAIRLAND – If you are feeling suicidal or are a survivor of suicide loss where your symptoms interfere with daily functioning, it is advisable to seek help.
CPF members share warning signs, factors that may increase and where to go to deal with suicide.
Fairland Community Policing Forum (CPF) Victim Support Unit member Charmaine Stainton has been researching on suicide after the unit noticed a rise in suicides and suicide attempts. She discovered that 800 000 people commit suicide every year, according to the World Health Organisation. This equates to one person committing suicide every 40 seconds globally. She also stated that according to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), there are 23 recorded suicides a day in South Africa, and for every suicide there are a further 20 attempted suicides. She shared information to help improve the warning signs of a suicidal person and what to do about it.
Suicide warning signs:
- Sadness, mood swings, or unexpected anger or rage
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
- Fatigue and low energy\
- Sleep problems – struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep or to get up in the mornings
- Inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities, such as loss of interest in hobbies
- Withdrawal from school, work, family, or friends, and not wanting to socialise
- Changes in personality or appearance
- Dangerous, impulsive, or self-harmful behaviour.
Factors that may increase suicide risk:
- Previous suicide attempt or a family history of suicide
- Mental disorders such as depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder
- Substance abuse, such as the abuse of alcohol and/or drugs
- Financial loss, loss of employment, loss of social network
- Big life changes, such as divorce
- Isolation
- Ongoing bullying
- Physical illness
- Having experienced a recent trauma or having lost a relative or friend through death.
Where to get support:
- LifeLine Crisis Helpline: 0861 322 322
- Befrienders Crisis Helpline: (0027) 51 444 5000
- SADAG Crisis Helpline: 0800 12 13 14
- Cipla Mental Health Helpline (Sadag): 0800 456 789
- Cipla WhatsApp Chat Line (Sadag): 076 882 2775 / SMS 31393
- Befrienders South Africa email: Befriend@iafrica.com or Befrienders@wsinet.co.za
- South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag)
- Survivors of Suicide:www.survivorsofsuicide.org.za/information.html
She concluded, “If you are feeling suicidal or are a survivor of suicide loss where your symptoms interfere with daily functioning, it is advisable to seek help for yourself, or for someone you are concerned about. Be reassured that there is a way out of any crisis and that a better and more compassionate society is available to offer support.”
