We were recently asked to supply some resources to families of suicide victims. So I thought I would share it in this blog. Suicide accounts for about 2% of the deaths per year. It’s common to assume that suicides occur mostly in teenagers, aged 15 – 24, but this is not the case. Most suicides occur in males over the age of 69!
Before I get into the resources, I would like to point out some Suicide Warning Signs that the APA has compiled. If you or anyone you know displays these warning signs, look for help. There is a National Hotline Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to call, 800-273-TALK (8255).
“Suicide warning signs
Learn how to recognize the danger signals.
Be concerned if someone you know:
- Talks about committing suicide
- Has trouble eating or sleeping
- Exhibits drastic changes in behavior
- Withdraws from friends or social activities
- Loses interest in school, work or hobbies
- Prepares for death by writing a will and making final arrangements
- Gives away prized possessions
- Has attempted suicide before
- Takes unnecessary risks
- Has recently experienced serious losses
- Seems preoccupied with death and dying
- Loses interest in his or her personal appearance
- Increases alcohol or drug use.”
Furthermore, the APA has information on getting help, articles, and recommended books for dealing with the loss of a loved one due to suicide. http://www.apa.org/topics/
I did come across this website a few weeks ago for Teens, and I wrote a blog specifically on this resource. It’s a teen health community! I know that this doesn’t directly apply to the families, but maybe if this resource and others like it were more commonplace, there could be fewer suicides. http://www.bodimojo.com/about.
Another resource is the National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.
Group and individual counseling for family members is powerful in the healing process. It is recommended to seek professional counseling during the grieving process.
Local support centers are another great avenue for support as well as reaching out to other families that have gone through the same unfortunate tragedy. The Surviving Project is a new website set up by a family who has been through this tragic ordeal:
"The Surviving Project hopes to increase awareness about suicide and provide support, comfort, love, and hope to those whose lives have been forever changed by the loss of a loved one by suicide. We are survivors of what is sometimes described as the most debilitating and complicated grief known. The Surviving Project was created within one family’s journey through this grief as a way to give back to others and provide support and understanding in the days, weeks, months, and years following the loss of someone so special in their lives."
Please visit their site @ www.thesurvivingproject.com
Please comment or ask questions via the comment box!
- Mindy Perry, Marketer
Citations:
American Psychological Association. Suicide. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/
American Psychological Association. Suicide Warning Signs. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/
Image by MilitaryHealth. License: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/militaryhealth/3877850929/Image by US Army Korea. License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/imcomkorea/4972036469/
Image by The MJL Foundation. Yellow Ribbon Awareness. Retrieved from
http://www.mjlfoundation.org/sponsors_1st.html
No comments:
Post a Comment