Hello everyone,

It is becoming rather alarming the rate at which we have people on the verge of giving up on life and committing suicide come to the family section to post about their troubles. We also have more reports of cases of people committing suicide in the news. This creates great concern amongst well-meaning people and some of the questions that come-up are:

1. What are the causes of this increase in the number of suicides, attempted suicides and near-suicidal people?

2. What can be done to mitigate factors identified to be causal to (attempted) suicide?

3. Are there any signs to look out for that can indicate that a family member or friend is suicidal?

4. How does each individual manage stress such that it does not get to the point that he/she feels "life is no longer worth living" and suicide looks like a viable option?

5. Are there any professional centres you know-of that can handle such cases? What are their contact details (Address, Telephone, Website, Email)?

6. Is there any other thing the government, society or individuals should do to curb this problem?

Please Note: You do not need to answer all of these questions. Kindly pick any number you feel competent to answer.

Thank you for your interest, support and cooperation.

God bless you for this sir.

If you are feeling suicidal, please post here...

https://www.nairaland.com/1347408/feeling-suicidal-come-here-first

**grabs a seat**

This is one issue we treat very trivial until the act is done, people who are courageous enough to admit attempts of Suicide are castigated based on some ridiculous religious beliefs, i am very glad whenever awareness about Suicide gets attention because i have personally been privileged to help 2 very mature people out of committing suicide.

CAUSES

The causes of suicide are subjective to every individual contemplating, experience and extensive research has helped me conclude that depression/ unhappiness/ sadness is a constant factor with this issue.

Most people seem happy, but i can tell u, true happiness is one luxury many can't afford, many are going through sooo much in life with no one to trust with their problems they shoulder the burden all to themselves and this leads to stress and depression. i know someone is thinking, Hey we all have problems, but the difference is we are all different, the way we interpret problems as individuals is quite different.

The first person i encountered and i am glad is out of the Suicide list had every thing going for him you would think, he was in his final year of medical school, studying in one of the prestigious medical colleges in the US, a very bright prospect, intelligent but something was not clicking, for the sake of privacy i choose not to divulge the real issue and other vital details, but it proves that, not every one who seems happy is truly happy, so many things happen in our daily lives that alter our consciousness to life.

HOW YOU CAN HELP AS AN INDIVIDUAL

Being TRUSTWORTHY and APPROACHABLE is important, they wish to talk about it, but its very difficult to trust people with your story and when they can not, they resort to Suicide.

SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR

The signs are very numerous but mostly discreet, i would mention a few, the suicide would most probably happen on a significant date, either their birthdays or dates that have huge significance to them.

Suicidal people tend to suddenly keep to themselves as the day approaches , they tend to suddenly dissociate themselves from people and spend a whole lot of time on their own, most times contemplating their decision and their lives thus far.
while other might go on without any significant changes, but one thing is, their anxiety level also increases as they tend to become sensitive and would break down easily.

MANAGING STRESS

This is also subjective to every individual because like i mentioned earlier we are all different, contemplating suicide does not necessarily mean mental weakness, we all react to issues differently.
Famous people we revere have contemplated suicide, Halle Berry, Dianna the princess of Wales, Eminem, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, the list is very long.

Developing a stress killer routine is very important for every one, personally when i get stressed/ unhappy, i hit the Gym or i go running, play basketball, i spend time speaking with people that make me happy, either over the phone or face to face, i go through my contacts and call my Dad, even though i don't tell him i am stressed out, speaking with him relieves me a whole lot, after that i can tell u i would return to base.

For some eating helps, but the problem is this, eating too much while depressed might worsen the situation in the long run, i know of someone who goes into a cleaning mode, he would clean the whole house even if it is spot clean while listening to music, after couple of mins/hrs he is back to base.

PROFESSIONAL CENTERS

Most suicidal people need someone to confide with anonymously without compromising their privacy and secrets and this is very very hard.

In the USA, i know there is a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, i understand u are never kept on hold and speak directly with someone who is willing to help.

In our quest to reachout to and help those depressed and suicidal prone we seem to overlook something . . . or should I say we tend to concentrate more on adult forgetting that a sizeable number of those we're reaching out to are minors/teenagers.

Me, I'm focusing on minors/teenagers as adults case seems to be well taken care of already.

1) Causes: This ranges from maltreatment to bullying, chaotic/violent family settings, frustration, failure (yes, a minor can actually feel he/she is a failure)

For these kids/minors its often parent failure more than bullying that causes this. Some parents demand high results from their kids/wards which is natural, but what is the parent doing about this?

Moulding your child into a good and upstanding member of the society starts from the moment he/she is conceived. I'm not even that religious but I've seen the power of prayer. . .


You need to take control and start talking to that child even in the womb. Prophesise all good things you want to happen to the child and follow it up.

Show your child love but don't overdo it, you must strike that healthy balance between loving and spoiling your child. As a child growing up I couldn't watch TV and I wasn't supposed to sleep during the day, my whole life was devoted to reading and being a star student. Children emulate a lot so be the perfect role model, you're already creating that image and personality kids will develop into when they grow up.

Beating up his mum and always shouting about every little thing is a no-no (don't think because he's 3 yrs old he doesn't know what is happening). Do not hesitate to use the rod if you feel the child is going wayward but desist from making this the norm.

Gone are the days when our kids must become doctors and lawyers and engineers. . allow that child some breathing space, let him/her develop at their own pace, observe and watch their likes and dislikes, this will help form them into what comes naturally to them.

Avoid comparism, kids have different rate of blossoming and coming into their element, rather nuture your child than get aggressive, if they have a flair for entertainement, don't insist they must become a rocket scientist.

Also avoid putting down your child, infact if you do this you've failed already as a parent.

Bullying accounts for a greater percentage of suicide amongst youths.

Mind the company they keep and watch out for moodswings particularly when they return from school. Encourage them to talk about their day in school and how they get along with their classmates (they'll only open up if you've taken the time to get to know them not necessarily sending them on vacation abroad)

Encourage them in all they do and resist the temptation of always wanting them to be better than Eisten and Galileo put together!

pls talk to some one when you are really down it helps

I don't know why people kill themselves because they hate their life. If you really hate your life, you'll want to stay alive and see your life suffer.

Most efficient way to remove thoughts of suicide is to NOT THINK ABOUT SUICIDE....distance yourself from any person,place,animal or thing that's making you depressed,mingle with fun people,have loads of sex and seek solace in a higher power....for the sex thingy pls indicate if you want my number (thunder fire any boy wey ask me)

This is wonderful. Suicide tots and actions are no longer exclusive with the poor.
Even d rich n middle class are involved. l'l be on the lookout for the signs above.

Interesting topic.

Initially, I used to think this form of illness only affects the weak-hearted, however, after witnessing what my ex went through, I decided to start reading about it. The honest truth is that most black people suffer from depression, or at least suffered from depression, at one stage or the other in their lives. However, most don't seek medical help because of the stigma attached to any form of mental and psychological health problems. And the more people continue in that state, the more that it becomes more acute.

The causes includes: negative thinking patterns, illness, emotional pain, alcohol and drugs, situational factors, medications, and biological and genetics factors.

Personally, I think it's because most people put too much pressure on themselves, trying to be what they are not. Societal pressure, peer pressure, family pressure etc. also contribute to it. Add lack of self-love - and emotional pains caused by relationships and/or loss of loved ones and/or family members to the equation.

Ways to deal with that type of experience or state of mind:
- Going out more and doing things that makes you happy.
- Socialise, and always find something to keep you busy.
- Seek medical help and counselling.
- Eat and sleep well.
- Stay away from illicit drugs and alcohol.
- Find contentment/love/peace from within.
- Stop putting unnecessary pressure on yourself.
- Life is a race, but it's a one-man race, and you don't need to compete with other people. Find a niche for yourself and do what you're naturally gifted at. Work at your own pace and stay away from competing with other people. We're all different and we can't achieve the same thing at the same time - everyone's time is different.

If you live in the UK - 111 is the best number to call. You can also dial 999, or go to the nearest A & E. The government spends a lot annually to care for people with mental health problems and they will get you the care you need. They will also assign a personal carer to you, to look after you and check on you from time to time.

shymexx: Interesting topic.

Space booked.

Do you use BP internet connection?

Suicide can also result from loss of self esteem such as Ahitophel in d Bible..

The questions can be answered in one sentence. Pray and read the bible constantly

When some people are ostracized from the community due to commiting abomination, they tend to give up living.

Traditional and religious believes have eaten most people up.

Psychological effect is also a cause. A situation where a brother commits inset with his sister, generally, this is an abomination. He faces trauma and demonic spirit might lead him to commit suicide.

Africans unlike the westerners dont commit suicide for minor reasons. It has to be spiritual or some psychological imbalance.

What works for me is the Love of Money.

My great love for cash and my propensity to generate cash continue to push me to stay alive.

I cant flex when I'm dead...so Suicide is NEVER an option

xynerise: Africans unlike the westerners dont commit suicide for minor reasons. It has to be spiritual or some psychological imbalance.

Things you call minor, other people may not call minor. People have different levels of endurance. While some people will kill themselves because all the members of their families are dead, others may kill themselves because there's no more bread in the fridge.

[size=14pt]Hello all,

Kindly desist from making negative comment on this thread. The topic is a sensitive one, hence what we say matters a lot.


Thank you.[/size]

Help the person get out of depression ( either medically or otherwise) as this has been found to be the leading cause of suicide.

Afam4eva:
Things you call minor, other people may not call minor. People have different levels of endurance.

I agree with you.

.

jackbauersballs: What works for me is the Love of Money.

My great love for cash and my propensity to generate cash continue to push me to stay alive.

I cant flex when I'm dead...so Suicide is NEVER an option

smiling while shaking my head..."bless your heart" as we Southern girls would say.

Afam4eva:
Things you call minor, other people may not call minor. People have different levels of endurance. While some people will kill themselves because all the members of their families are dead, [s]others may kill themselves because there's no more bread in the fridge.[/s]

. That is a mental case

xynerise:
. That is a mental case

They're all mental cases. For no reason, should anyone kill himself. That's why people are counseled when they experience something bad in their life.

Afam4eva:
Things you call minor, other people may not call minor. People have different levels of endurance. While some people will kill themselves because all the members of their families are dead, others may kill themselves because there's no more bread in the fridge.

I certainly don't agree with this... lol

I see that we are not answering the questions directly.

texanomaly:

smiling while shaking my head..."bless your heart" as we Southern girls would say.

It is a true story though.

The only way to beat depression is to find true happiness and contentment

Money brings me great joy. Making Money brings me great happiness.

Others may find true happiness in the Church, the Mosque or in Drugs...I find it in a fat wallet.

jackbauersballs:

It is a true story though.

The only way to beat depression is to find true happiness and contentment

Money brings me great joy. Making Money brings me great happiness.

Others may find true happiness in the Church, the Mosque or in Drugs...I find it in a fat wallet.

Still I smile and smh...