Topic Tuesday - *closed* - Caring for someone who is at risk of suicide

Thanks for the question Cherry Bomb. Its so hard to know what to do to keep loved ones safe, and we are often in the dark about how to handle things.

it can take a huge toll on us as carers, leaving us feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

@Former-Member are sucidal thoughts always a concern. I think I have heard somewhere in the past that a large proportion of the population have them at some time without acting on them. Is it possible to make too much of them?

Hi @CherryBomb yes there are crisis services that people can access 24 hours. The fist point of call would be your local hospital or call 000 for eergency services. You can also call the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Lifeline 13 11 14 who can offer crisis counselling.

That's an interesting point @Former-Member. I think to some degree a lot of people can have suicidal thoughts at at some point in their life. I think that people may not carry it out because someone shows concern, or they got help because someone had the conversation with them. Overall, I think it's helpful to a discussion about suicide seriously - rather than be safe than sorry.

What are your thoughts @Former-Member

Hi @Former-Member yes there is evidence to show that many people have suicidal thoughts at some point in their life and you're corrent that not every mention of suicide means that the person needs to be rushed to the emergency department. However it's important to take suggestions of suicde seriously, even if they are said in a joking manner. If someone mentions suicide, see it as an opportunity to start a conversation to check in about how they are feeling. Thoughts of suicide usually indicate that all is not well, and they might need support to cope with thier mental health or a difficult situation they are dealing with in their life.

Found this resource that might be of use:

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@3forme wrote:

Its so hard to know what to do to keep loved ones safe, and we are often in the dark about how to handle things.

it can take a huge toll on us as carers, leaving us feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

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@3forme brings up an important point about the toll that caring for someone who is suicidal can take. @Former-Member what support is out there for carers, and could you possibly list some strategies on how you can keep someone safe/get them help.

Hi @Ninja28 I would point you in the direction of work that HeadSpace are doing in working with schools around the issue of suicide. I know that Standby Responce Service also does a lot of work to support schools after there has been a suicide and have resources for schools around this topic.

It's interesteing that we are fearful of talking to young people about suicide and yet if we read social media we can see that young people are talking about this issue with each other, espcially as so many young people are affected.

What we need to be careful of is that suicide is not glorified in any way and that we don't suggest means of suicide or locations.

Thanks @CherryBomb

There are many reasons why people choose to take their own life and every persons circumstances and reasons will be different. Usually it is when internal pain and distress is so overwhelming that they can no longer cope. For people with a mental illness, the distress caused by the illness can be so great they may feel an overwhelming desire to end their life. Suicide can also be related to distressing life events such as unemployment, relationship breakdown, being in debt, or isolation. Sometimes people feel like they are a burden on others, and they feel that others would be better off without them. A suicide attempt may be a sign of a mental illness developing, and it is important to get help from a health professional.