Three Mistaken Beliefs about Suicide
HCI was born out of community tragedies and leaders and residents came together to do something positive and focus on prevention. HCI is part of the Delaware County Suicide Prevention Awareness Task Force
Suicide is the saddest thing that can happen to anyone and to those who love him or her. It is sad because it is a terrible tragedy. It is even sadder because no suicide should ever happen.
Suicides preventable - often all it takes is some concern and some caring. Many people would help, but don’t because they are misinformed about suicide.
There are many misconceptions about suicide that keep people from doing or saying something that might help to save a life. We will look at three common mistaken beliefs about suicide that may be very dangerous.
The first one goes: “Those who talk about completing suicide, won’t do it.” You may think that someone is “all talk” or just after sympathy. You might be right, but there’s no way to tell, and you may also be very wrong.
Many suicide victims did share their thoughts, intentions, and plans. If someone says that they want to hurt themselves, believe them. Tell him or her to get help and tell someone who can help them. Never agree to keep silent.
Another mistaken believe is “Suicidal individuals really want to die, and they will do it sooner or later.” Many suicide victims made a previous suicide attempt, but this doesn’t mean that once someone becomes suicidal, they will die.
Most suicidal people just want to end a terrible emotional pain. However, because they don’t know that they can be helped, they may think that only death can end their suffering. This is not true.
Believing that suicidal individuals “want to die” can keep you from trying to help. Suicidal thoughts are not permanent, they can and do pass. However, this incorrect belief can make a temporary condition become a tragic loss forever.
The third mistaken belief is “Asking about it will cause a suicide.” The thought is that you can somehow give somebody the idea to take his or her life by simply asking if they are thinking of suicide. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
Every suicide is the outcome of a complex set of factors. These include things like recent and past life events, how the person deals with problems, what supports they have, emotional and mental health, chemical imbalances in the brain, and more.
Suicide is a process that takes place over time, often weeks or months. Openly asking the person about suicide or self-harm anywhere along the way is the only way to start to help. Don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t be afraid to help.
This doesn’t mean that you can say anything to a suicidal person. Never say “Go ahead and do it!” or “If you want to die so bad, get it over with.” Such statements add to the hurt and say you don’t care.
Learn the myths of suicide. Suicide prevention begins with replacing them with facts and reaching out as an individual or as a community.
Tony Salvatore lives in Springfield and serves on the Delaware County Suicide Prevention Awareness Task Force