“Place your hand over your heart, can you feel it? That is called purpose. You’re alive for a reason so don’t ever give up.” – Unknown
Every 40 seconds, someone commits suicide. Each year, 42,773 Americans die by suicide. People struggle on a daily basis, but never have the courage or words to speak up and say, "Hey! I need help. I'm struggling." It's not that simple, at least for most people dealing with a mental illness. The number one cause of suicide is depression, a mental illness that effects more that 14.8 million U.S. adults. If someone isn't okay enough to speak up for themselves, take these warning signs into consideration. You could save a life.
1. Listen to them.
If someone continuously says the following: "I feel like there is no way out", "I'd be better off dead", "You'll be sorry when I'm gone", or anything along those lines, this is an indicator. Teens, at least from personal experience, always joke around with the phrase "I'm gonna kill myself" or are always typing "kms" (the text abbreviation for "killing myself") on social media and in text messages. This is NOT okay! Some people may be sensitive to this phrase and others may not take it lightly. So if you aren't struggling, don't throw it around.
2. They're sad all the time.
Depression is the leading cause of suicide. If this person is always feeling down or in the dumps about anything, ask them if they are okay or if they need help. Depressed humans usually have little interest in doing anything and just want to stay in bed or in the comfort of their home for an extended period of time.
3. Feelings of guilt.
Suicidal thoughts can be triggered by the wrongdoing of a task. It can be anything ranging from putting dishes away wrong to not paying bills on time - it doesn't matter. Suicidal minds always find ways of beating themselves up even if they task wasn't that important to begin with.
4. Anxiety.
If someone is freaking out about even the tiniest of things, this could be a sign of suicidal thoughts. This also goes along with the depression aspect of things. For example, social anxiety equals not leaving the house, not leaving the house equals loneliness, loneliness equals depression, depression can lead to suicide.
5. Self-injury.
This is a more evident one. If you see any scars or fresh wounds anywhere on someone's body, this can signal that someone is self harming and they need to get help right away.
6. Substance abuse.
Being on pills for any type of illness is scary enough. But when someone starts to abuse the medicine for something other than what they're taking it for, that can be a problem. Depressed and suicidal humans often find ways to get their hands on illegal and hard drugs to release their thoughts and pain. Also, watch out for how much alcohol a person drinks. And if the person is underage, that can be a huge problem if they're abusing it and can also lead into some serious consequences.
7. Purchasing weapons.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, firearms accounted for 50% of all suicides. If they have been showing any other of these signs and buy some sort of firearm or weaponry, talk to them. Ask why they bought the weapon.
8. Gaining or losing unhealthy weight.
Some people stress eat because it comforts them, which is known as an eating disorder. This can be unhealthy and cause other heath problems for someone. If someone is losing so much weight in a small amount of time, they could either be forcing themselves not to eat or suffer from bulimia, which means they eat a certain amount of food and then force themselves to vomit.
By noticing something small in a person's life, you could save them. It is always better to be safe and make sure the loved ones in your life are always okay and happy. Remember to tell your friends and family that you love them each and everyday. It has a huge impact on a human being's life by just saying a few kind words to them each day. They'll feel better and so will you. If you know someone is struggling, please ask them to get help or direct them to the U.S. Suicide Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). Click here for International lifelines.
Love yourself and others. ❤
