Prevention of Suicide

Shattering Stigma: Preventing Suicide
Together
Because every life is worth the conversation.
We have these news headlines daily now. A person committing suicide although he seemed fine? Ever
seen the joyful fellow jumping off the cliff? A cheerful and lovely actor sleeping to death due to the
intensity of pills? A 14-year-old boy hanging himself to death and leaving a ‘sorry’ note behind?
Suicide; A Stigma
Suicide is a stigma that has been in our society for ages, still, it is forbidden to use as commonly as it
prevails in society.
Suicide is death caused intently by a person. It is self-injury leading to death or an attempt to die. It is
often considered a silent epidemic, claiming the lives of thousands of people around the world.
Suicidal thoughts can come to anybody of around any age. The reasons for someone ending their life
could vary according to the situations they are facing but, in most cases,
• They couldn’t bear the burden of this world.
• They are unable to handle the failure of life.
• They don’t have emotional stability leading to breakdowns.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors:
What are suicidal thoughts and behaviors?

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are thoughts, attempts, plans, and ideas to end one‘s own life. This is an
overwhelming and scary experience. The prevalence could vary from a person having daily thoughts to
someone experiencing them weekly, monthly, or between 6 months or more. In any case, two people
couldn’t have the same suicidal experience, even if their thoughts and behaviors have similarities.
How Common Are These Thoughts and Behaviors?
Experiencing these thoughts and behaviors can be an isolating experience, and you feel like you are the
only one trapped in this cage. Still, the truth is, because of the forbidden stigma, the actual suffering
couldn't come out.
In Australia, suicide claims over 3,300 lives annually, with 9 deaths occurring each day. It is the leading
cause of death for Australians aged 15–44. Each year, 400,000 Australians experience suicidal thoughts,
62,000 attempt suicide, and at least 35,000 are hospitalized due to suicide-related injuries and crises.
(What Is Suicide?, n.d.)
Que et al. (2019) conducted a review of 5509 records, including 73 studies, and found that 25.5% of
medical professionals experienced lifetime suicidal thoughts, 9.8% in the past year, and 8.0% recently.
Lifetime suicide attempts were 2.3% and 0.5% in the past year. Suicidal thoughts were higher in women,
medical students, and low- to middle-income countries.
Causes of Suicide
Suicide arises from mental health issues like depression, combined with external pressures such as
financial struggles, relationship problems, and trauma. Isolation, hopelessness, and limited support
heighten risk, with cultural attitudes and media exposure also playing a role.
Psychological Factors
• Mental health conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use).
• Self-harm history, feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and problem-solving difficulties.
• Negative, rigid thinking (black-and-white views, hopelessness, feeling unwanted).
Social Factors
• Bullying in schools & abusive relationships, social isolation, and lack of support.
• Stigmatization of mental health, cultural attitudes, and media influence.
Environmental Factors
• Negative life experiences (financial stress, discrimination, trauma, illness).
• Major life events (e.g., pregnancy, job loss, grief).
• Other factors: past suicide attempts, medication changes, drug/alcohol misuse, relationship
conflicts, and access to means for suicide.
How To Deal with Suicidal Thoughts

Dealing with suicidal thoughts isn’t a piece of cake. You might need all your will to act on the given
guides to help out yourself, or any other person you know can commit suicide.
1. Change the Environment:

When experiencing suicidal thoughts, it’s crucial to move yourself or the affected person away from
potentially harmful environments (e.g., near weapons or high-risk locations) to reduce the likelihood of
acting on these thoughts.
2. Control Breathing:
After finding a safe space, focus on slowing breathing by inhaling deeply. This helps lower your heart
rate and create a sense of calm, distracting you from negative thoughts.
3. Focus on surroundings and positivity:
Refocus away from suicidal thoughts by acknowledging them without engaging. Use techniques like
visualization, sensory awareness, or grounding to bring your attention back to the present. Another
technique is muscle relaxation, when feeling overwhelmed, our muscles often tense up without us
realizing it. Muscle relaxation exercises, like breathing techniques, help calm the body’s stress response.
Start from the top of your body and relax each muscle group. Tensing muscles briefly before relaxing
them can further reduce tension.
4. Reach out for support:

Don’t face suicidal thoughts alone. Talk to a trusted friend, loved one, or spiritual leader, or call a
helpline for support. Sharing your feelings can reduce the power of negative thoughts.
5. Remember, When There Is A Will, There Is A Way:
Depression may steal hope, but remind yourself that recovery is possible. Others have overcome these
feelings, and so can you. Allow yourself the chance to heal and find happiness again.
Reach out to your country’s helpline, if you find anyone with these symptoms or warnings.
REFERENCES
Ivey-Stephenson, A. Z., Crosby, A. E., Hoenig, J. M., Gyawali, S., Park-Lee, E., & Hedden, S. L. (2022).
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adults aged ≥18 years — United States, 2015–2019.
MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 71(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7101a1
Professional, C. C. M. (2024, September 10). Suicide. Cleveland Clinic.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/suicide
Que, J., Shi, L., Liu, J., Gong, Y., Sun, Y., Mi, W., Lin, X., Bao, Y., Sun, H., Shi, J., & Lu, L. (n.d.). Prevalence
of suicidal thoughts and behaviours among medical professionals: a meta-analysis and
systematic review. The Lancet, 394, S11. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32347-5
Turecki, G., Brent, D. A., Gunnell, D., O’Connor, R. C., Oquendo, M. A., Pirkis, J., & Stanley, B. H. (2019).
Suicide and suicide risk. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-
019-0121-0
What is suicide? (n.d.). https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/topics/suicide/what-is-suicide

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Shattering Stigma: Preventing Suicide

• They couldn’t bear the burden of this world.

• They are unable to handle the failure of life.

• They don’t have emotional stability leading to breakdowns.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors:

What are suicidal thoughts and behaviors?

• Self-harm history, feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and problem-solving difficulties.

• Negative, rigid thinking (black-and-white views, hopelessness, feeling unwanted).

• Stigmatization of mental health, cultural attitudes, and media influence.

• Major life events (e.g., pregnancy, job loss, grief).

How To Deal with Suicidal Thoughts

1. Change the Environment:

4. Reach out for support:

Professional, C. C. M. (2024, September 10). Suicide. Cleveland Clinic.

What is suicide? (n.d.). https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/topics/suicide/what-is-suicide

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