Suicide

Suicide

Suicide is the term used for the deliberate self-destruction by a living being, resulting in their own death. The factors that lead someone to take their own life are complex. There is rarely one single trigger, although there may be an important 'last straw'.

Suicide actions are typically characterised as being made out of despair, or attributed to some underlying mental disorder which includes depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug abuse. The final straw may be the end of an important relationship, having to face up to debt or a court case, or losing ones home, or simply an event that stirs the emotions.

Suicidal ideation is a common medical term for thoughts about suicide, which may be as detailed as a formulated plan, without the suicidal act itself. Although most people who undergo suicidal ideation do not commit suicide, some go on to make suicide attempts. The range of suicidal ideation varies greatly from fleeting to detailed planning, role playing and unsuccessful attempts, which may be deliberately constructed to fail or be discovered, or may be fully intended to succeed.

Treatments

You may want to firstly speak to a friend or relative you trust and respect, and who is a good listener. They may have had the same problem themselves, or know someone else who has.

You may benefit from talking to a UKCP accredited psychotherapist outside your usual circle of friends and family. By undertaking counselling, suicidal clients often discover in their states of despair that it is their actual feelings not themselves that they wish to kill. Psychotherapy and counselling are working relationships in which you are helped to explore and manage what is happening in your life. Key aims are to help you understand and control your anxieties and to find better ways of dealing with life’s continuing challenges. Examples include: integrative and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Some people find it easier to join a group with others who have similar problems. This means you gain valuable experience and feedback in a supportive confidential environment. Groups often focus on themes such as anxiety, panic, relationship and employment difficulties.
Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. (http://www.samaritans.org)

Antidepressants can help but often take two to four weeks to work and may have side effects.

Relaxation exercises, laughter and all forms of meditation are helpful in reducing stress. By focusing on positive issues and removing all negative thoughts from your mind for a fixed period, you will soon see a big difference.