World Suicide Prevention Day

Lately on social media there have been increased reports of suicide especially among young persons.

Tough economic realities, family and relationship problems have been implicated a lot of times.

Depression and other mental issues have been on the increase lately and the most serious cases have led to suicide or suicide attempts.

September 10 every year is used to advocate for increased initiatives to prevent suicide worldwide.

This article zooms in on how we can protect ourselves and others in society from taking a decision to end their lives as there is still so much to live for.

There are so many unexplored opportunities as well as solutions for whatever issues we might be facing.

As a society we can reduce the incidence of suicide by the following in the following ways

1. Being intentional about our mental health and that of those around us.

Mental health issues have shown to be one of the major contributing factors to suicide.

It is a vast issue that is mostly ignored by society not forgetting the stigma that comes with it.

We should learn to understand this, look beyond the stigma and seek for help when we need it.

Been intentional involves knowing when you should speak up and seek some form of support to help you navigate a difficult situation more easily.

We should be intentional about our mental health and guard it from external influences that trigger negative and suicidal thoughts.

2. While being intentional about our mental health, we should also be cautious of how we treat others around us.

As members of the society, we have a huge role to play in protecting the mental health of others, this reduces the chance of them attempting suicide.

We can help each other to do so by:

– Being kind to others both online and offline

– Not stigmatizing against people with different views or health struggles

– Not trivializing the challenges of others.

– Watching out for the welfare of others

3. We should also learn to be content as unnecessary comparison and unhealthy competition could drive us to a state and feeling of inadequacy which could trigger suicidal thoughts.

Be content with what you have and who you are while working to be a better person.

People commit suicide when they have totally lost hope in the ability of society to support them through their struggles. Together we can help lighten the burden of others.

#Let’sTalk

Joyce Nwanochi