Suicide: A Societal Concern

Suicide is one of the results of mood disorders that must not be taken for granted. The reasons why people may take their live vary from person to person. However a very common reason is depression.

Apparently, there are no peculiar personality type that is predisposed to suicide. Anybody who had threatened suicide must be closely monitored and counseled as a preventive measure because most persons who had threatened suicide eventually commit suicide. Rather than avoiding the topic, it is better to discuss it with the person in other to help him or her overcome the temptation.

Most people who threaten suicide clearly communicate the intent either verbally or by their actions before the act but frequently those in the immediate social environment fail notice the signs. Although most people who threaten suicide do carry it out, some of them do not really want to die but may use the threat as a way to communicate to family and friends the intensity of their sufferings. Hence, such threat need to be resolved because if neglected may lead to a more determined threat and eventual fulfillment.

Suicidal intent may be communicated through such statements like ‘I am tired of living’, I’ll rather leave, I feel I am a burden to you’ or ‘Daddy I thank you so much for trying so hard to help me. I don’t want to border you any longer’. Those statements are vital signals of suicide intent. A sudden action of giving away most valued possessions is one of many other nonverbal communication of suicide intent. A sudden tranquility of normally agitated mentally ill patient may often be misinterpreted as a sign of improvement but it is actually a danger signal. The tendency is that the seemingly improved patient may be less carefully watched and may take advantage of the freedom to carry out the suicidal act.