“Captivated by own choices, tortured by own voices;
there is a storm in my mind, it cannot be pacified.
There is a cyclone of emotions circling through the nerves;
irritation, anger, despair burning the moments joy deserves. ” ~ (anonymous)
The clock is ticking and someone, somewhere, commits suicide each passing hour. You might never be able to say who it will be, it could be the person standing right next to you.
Every year, September 10 is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day. This day is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). In collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), this day is marked to increase awareness for the prevention of suicides and the importance of mental health.
Table of Contents
Importance of mental health
Mental health can be defined as the way a person thinks, feels, and reacts in various situations of life. Our mental health affects our way to handle stress and tension and make decisions.
And mental health influences the way individuals look at themselves their lives and others in their lives and relate to one another.
Mental health is crucial at every stage of life same as physical health. A disturbed state of the mind can lead to mental disorders. Not only social behavior, mental disorders also affect a person’s health behavior like inadequate sleep, eating sensibly, regular exercise, alcohol, and tobacco use, thus increasing the risk of physical illness. Disturbed mental health plays a significant role in poor immune functioning.
Ill Mental health also leads to social problems like broken families, unemployment, drug abuse, and related crime. Depression and suicidal thoughts are two of the most frightening phases a person can face in his lifetime.
People are suffering from depression in the pandemic
- With the sudden disruption of our routines and the new norm of social distancing, life has dramatically transformed into self-isolation.
- Fear and anxiety about the new viral disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in children and adults. Lockdowns and home quarantine have also led to a lack of meetings and gathering.
- With the series of lockdowns, job cuts, health scares, and the overall volatile environment, stress levels are at an all-time high. Suddenly, many of us are facing the tension of the news like its impact on our business, finances, and economy.
- Further sufferings of some loved one you cannot meet have increased the tensions. Suicide is killing the young very dreadfully and disproportionately.
- Thus, suicide is a terrible killer of young people. As everything going on, people can find themselves feeling hopeless and helpless and, finally, depressed.
- The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has proved to be very stressful for people.
Signs of people suffering from suicidal thoughts
Most of us can hardly imagine the ache that precedes suicide and the suffering left in its wake. When the person who dies is young, the devastation is even more intense. Suicide can be prevented in many cases. A person is considering suicide indicates excessive sadness or moodiness and threatening self-injury.
Suicide risk also is higher in the following groups:
- The person with substance/drug abuse problems
- The older group who have lost a spouse through death or suffered a mental trauma
- Individual with a history of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- The person with a family history of suicide
- People who have tried to attempt suicide in the past.
The warning signs for suicide are as follows :
- Changes in personality: A person who faces suicidal thoughts might exhibit a change in behavior or personality, such as speaking or moving with slowness or unusual speed. Also, the person might suddenly become less careful about his or her appearance or dressing.
- Feelings of worthlessness: Person has a continuous feeling of guilt or self-reproach; talks about his mistakes and feels he is not worthy of anything. Loss of interest or pleasure in lovable activities (e.g., outdoor activities, hobbies, hanging around with friends).
- Dangerous or self-harmful behavior: there are thoughts of death, suicide, or wishes to be dead. The person finds ways to end his life and look for means or sources that can harm him.
- Sleeping patterns: There is a disturbance in the person’s sleeping patterns (e.g., sleeping too little or too much, midnight awakenings, or having difficulty sleeping the night through).
- Reduced ability to concentrate or focus, slowed thinking, or indecisiveness. The person is not able to decide on his own.
- A significant change in appetite or weight of the person.
- Often, a person ready to commit suicide will begin to put his stuff or business in order.
- This might include visiting family members and friends, making a will, giving away personal possessions. Some people might write a note or leave a recording before committing suicide.
What can we do to protect our loved ones?
- Don’t be afraid to ask if he or she is depressed or thinking about suicide.
- Try to calm him down with words and ask about the problems he is suffering from.
- Never leave the person alone. If possible, ask help from friends or other family members.
- Talking about this issue is an important first step in ridding society of the idea that mental health problems should remain hidden. Ill mental health should not be treated as a taboo or stigma
- Be kind to everyone. You don’t know what others are going through.
- Take away sharp or harmful objects or any object that the person could use to hurt himself.
You are your own healer
Nobody understands the way you understand yourself. In the world where sympathy, kindness are meaningless, it is very difficult to find the right person to talk about your insecurities. A light of hope is always there for everyone in every situation. You are your own healer.
The best way to attain self-calm and increase self-confidence is meditation. Meditation helps you to get rid of your negative thoughts. It gives you the power to think positively about your difficulties. It also provides you with a solution that comes from within you.
Further, the regular practice of yoga with meditation is like a mind booster. Doing pranayama, increases the oxygen level in each and every cell and provides energy to every body part including the brain. Thus there is a supply of new energy in the body. This has been practiced by many and the results are 100 percent. According to them, meditation is like magic that helped them get rid of tensions.
Don’t be afraid to seek help from others but never fully rely on someone for your heart to be healed. Growing through such times will only make you strong, so don’t take any such step that might you and your loved ones regret.
Conclusion
Life is beautiful and each moment is precious. Enjoy your time here with your loved ones, while you can!
Writing Credits – Lovepreet Arora
