SUCIDE PREVENTION HELP GUIDE

Myth: People who talk about suicide won’t really do it.

Fact: Almost everyone who attempts suicide has given some clue or warning. Don’t ignore even indirect references to death or suicide. Statements like “You’ll be sorry when I’m gone,” “I can’t see any way out,”—no matter how casually or jokingly said—may indicate serious suicidal feelings.

Myth: Anyone who tries to kill themselves must be crazy.

Fact: Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane. They are upset, grief-stricken,   depressed or despairing, but extreme distress and emotional pain are not necessarily signs of mental illness.

Myth: If someone is determined to kill themselves, nothing is going to stop them.

Fact: Even a very severely depressed person has mixed feelings about death, fluctuating between wanting to live and wanting to die. Rather than wanting death, they just want the pain to stop—and the impulse to end their life does not last forever.

Myth: People who die by suicide are people who were unwilling to seek help.

Fact: Many people try to get help before attempting suicide. In fact, studies indicate that more than 50 per cent of suicide victims had sought medical help in the six months before their deaths.

Myth: Talking about suicide may give someone the idea.

Fact: You don’t give someone suicidal ideas by talking about suicide. Rather, the opposite is true. Talking openly and honestly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can help save a life.