World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was globally observed on 10th September for spreading awareness and knowing about suicide prevention. Firstly, the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) introduced World Suicide Prevention Day.
The aim of this day is to spread awareness and focus on the issues that people are facing. The covid-19 epidemic has made people depressed and vulnerable to make such extreme decisions for various reasons, such as losing a close one because of coronavirus, job loss, and so on. One of the best methods to stop suicide is to identify warning signs and understand how to react to such problems.
World Suicide Prevention Day History
The International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) implemented World Suicide Prevention Day and was co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). It was first implemented on 10th September 2003.
The first aim was to convey the message that suicide can be prevented. To motivate people, you can find various motivational quotes. The IASP theme is ‘Creating Hope through Action.’
Over the past few years, various countries have started participating to spread awareness and prevent suicide. The following are some events that have been included to stop suicide:
- IASP releases the film ‘Step Closer,’ which shows the need for support to prevent suicide worldwide.
- Cycle Around the Globe 2020, which was a cycling event in over 40 countries and as a result, $12,000 was raised for efforts to prevent suicide.
- Light a Candle campaign to motivate survivors of suicide and those who lost close ones due to suicide to remember them by lighting the candles on World Suicide Prevention Day.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) hosts World Suicide Prevention Day, which corresponds to Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, National Recovery Month, which is hosted by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) sponsored National Suicide Prevention Week.
Support Suicide Prevention Activities
It is important to know about the warning signs and risk factors associated with suicide. The best thing that you can do is to understand what action you should take when realizing the signs of depression, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts indicate that someone is at risk of attempting suicide.
Take a look at the following steps to know what you can do to support suicide prevention activities:
- Add crisis resource numbers to your contact list and suggest others do the same.
- Contact your friend, loved one or family member who you think may be facing mental health problems.
- Support mental health policies that ensure everyone in your community members can access mental health care and suicide prevention training.
Warning Signs of Suicide
Have a quick look at warning signs linked to suicide:
- Anxiety or restlessness
- Aggressive behaviour
- Feeling hopelessness
- Feelings of shame, guilt, worthlessness, or self-hatred
- Frequent status or statements on social media channels about self-harm
- Sleep, energy changes, or appetite
- Risk-taking behaviour
Risk Factors Associated with Suicide
It is not easy to identify the risk factors that can alter a child’s risk of suicidal thoughts. However, identifying them, and offering help can be life-saving. If you think that your child or someone you love has some of these risk factors, you can contact a mental health professional to get rid of suicidal thoughts. Take a look at the following points to know what risk factors are linked to suicide:
- Past suicide attempts
- Bullying, threats, or violence from peers
- History of mental health illness or depression
- Loss of a family member, friend, or other sudden death
- Previous history of emotional or physical abuse
Depression and Suicidal Thoughts
According to a study, suicidal thoughts are connected with depression. So many people who have depression problems may think of suicide. One of the common symptoms of suicide is childhood depression. However, it doesn’t mean everyone will think of suicide if they are facing depression. In addition to this, not all children with suicidal thoughts will attempt suicide.
When You Should Get Help?
If you think anyone you care about is having suicidal thoughts, then you should get immediate help. Don’t wait, if required, then you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for guidance from a trained counsellor.
Final Thoughts
If you have a loved one who is depressed or has suicidal thoughts, then it is your responsibility to seek help so you can give someone a better life. If your child is having mental health problems that cause him/her to think about suicide, then you should help your child and get help from mental health expert to get him/her to recover soon. In addition to this, you should also participate in World Suicide Prevention Day to stop suicide. Prevention strategies focus on public awareness and suicidal behaviours.
