International Suicide Prevention Day

Since 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has promoted each September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Daywith the aim of raising global awareness that suicide can be prevented.

What is suicide?

Defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the deliberate act of taking one’s own life. Its prevalence and the methods used vary according to different countries.

From the point of view of the mental healthadolescents have particular vulnerabilities due to their stage of development. Even with this vulnerability, suicide can affect anyone at any age. Among the main risk indicators are those who have experienced:

• A previous suicide attempt
• Alcohol or drug use
• History of sexual, physical and emotional abuse
• Feelings of guilt and rejection
• Family history of suicide
• Family history of any mental disorder
• Chronic illness with pain
• Stressful lifestyle (job loss, financial problems, relationship breakup, loss of a loved one…)
• Access to weapons
• History of self-harm
• Depression

Some symptoms or behaviors that may occur before a suicide attempt are:

• Feeling empty, unmotivated as if you had no reason to live.
• Buying firearms or stockpiling pills.
• Using alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious most of the time
• Changing your sleep routine, sleeping too little or too much
• Show anger
• Avoid contact with family or friends
• Give away your belongings or settle pending matters.
• Having difficulty concentrating.
• Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy.
• Changing eating habits
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Having problems at work or school.
• Tendency toward self-destructive behavior.
• Talking about death or suicide.

Keep in mind that a person who is at risk of suicidal behavior often does not seek treatment because they believe that no one can help them, they tend to avoid talking about their problems, they do not know where they can go, they experience a lack of empathy from their family members, or they may feel that expressing their problems makes them weak or vulnerable.

Even so, in most cases, those people who have experienced suicidal thoughts or actions tend to ask for help in advance but indirectly. That is why it is necessary to avoid minimizing any risk situation or sudden change in the emotional stability of the people around them, since timely intervention can prevent a suicidal situation.

We recommend you read:

Originally from Los Mochis, Sinaloa. She has a degree in Educational Psychology, a Master’s in Education in the field of Pedagogical Intervention and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Child Evaluation and Psychotherapy at the NEXUM University of Mexico. She has worked as a Counselor and Teacher at Colegio Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Sinaloa, SEP Psychologist for Special Education at the primary and currently secondary level, developing content focused on students who face barriers to learning and participation, teachers and parents. She has participated as an advisor and evaluator of scientific projects at national and international fairs, in addition to developing webinars, workshops and talks on different topics on education and mental health. She has more than 15 years in the private sector, providing psychological support with attention in the psychosocial and psychoemotional areas. In addition to being the creator of the Psychologists & Special Education Mx. community, focused on strengthening psychologists and teachers who are part of the educational field.

See more