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SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY

10/09/2013 02:26:00 BY TSAKASILE DLAMINI

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MBABANE – Today marks World Suicide Prevention Day.

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day observed on September 10, every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide, with various activities around the world.

Dr Violet Mwanjali, a psychiatrist at the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital in Manzini said the problem of suicide is common in the country.
“Even though I don’t have the data on exactly how prevalent it is, there is a large number of people who come to the hospital seeking help because they suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts,” she said.

Suicide is usually a result of depression caused by stressful life events. Dr Mwanjali recommended that people who have survived a suicide attempt should be referred to the National Psychiatric Referral Hospital for professional psychological help and evaluation. “Suicide is a symptom of an underlying stressor which is why the person can benefit from professional psychological treatment,” she said.

Early warning signs of suicide

A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t wanted. Most people who commit suicide don’t want to die; they usually just want to stop hurting. Suicide prevention starts with recognising the warning signs and taking them seriously.
Here are a few early warning signs that can help you recognise when a person is suicidal:

*    They have expressions of wanting to die, not wanting to go on living and to put an end to their relentless suffering.
*    They start organising their affairs.
*    The person may begin giving away their possessions.
*   The person may have a sudden change either for the better or worse, in appearance or behaviour.
*    They may no longer include themselves in plans for the future.
*    You may also notice them with drawing into themselves.
*    Sudden sense of calm.
*    A sudden sense of calm and happiness after being extremely depressed can mean that the person has made a decision to commit suicide.

How to help a suicidal person

Dr Mwanjali recommends that if you know of someone who is suicidal, the best thing you can do is to send them to the hospital as soon as possible before they can harm themselves.

“Don’t take it lightly when someone says that they want to kill themselves,”, “and make sure to remove all lethal materials nearby.”
She also stressed the importance of talking to the suicidal person and never leaving them alone for long periods of time.
Here are some tips from www.suicide.org that can help you deal with a suicidal person:
l Always take suicidal comments very seriously.

When a person says that he or she is thinking about suicide, you must always take the comments seriously. Assuming that the person is only seeking attention is a very serious, and potentially disastrous, mistake. Get help immediately.

l Let the person know that you are deeply concerned.
Tell the person that you are concerned, and show them that you are concerned. A suicidal person is highly vulnerable and needs to feel that concern.

l If the person is at a high risk of suicide, do not leave him or her alone.
Do not leave a critically suicidal person alone for even a second. Only after you get professional help for the person can you consider leaving him or her.

If you are struggling with Suicidal thoughts and depression or, your know someone who is, you can get help at the Manzini National Psychiatric Referral Hospital or you can call them on 25055170. Alternatively, you can get help from the nearest health Facility.