Have you ever seen someone go through tough times? Have you have thought of the ways on how to help someone who is suicidal? Well, a lot of things can cause someone to feel suicidal. If you know someone who might be going through such emotions, then you can help them out and reduce the risk of suicide.
Sometimes people do not want you to find a solution to their problems. They may just want to be heard and feel like they matter. If you want to know ways on how to help someone who is suicidal, then you must understand that leaving them alone is the worst thing you could do to them.
There a lot of reasons because of which a person may feel suicidal. Some of the reasons may be a trauma that they cannot get over, depression, anxiety, a terrible incident, or loneliness. It is always crucial to look for the warning signs because suicidal thoughts cannot be narrowed down to just one or two feelings.
HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS SUICIDAL
Before jumping in and looking at the ways on how to help someone who is suicidal, you must check in on people you know. Whether or not you are in good terms with someone, you should understand that it is always better to be kind because you never know what someone may be going through.
A few of your harsh words can impact someone’s life in more ways you can imagine. Let us have a look at a few ideas on how to help someone who is suicidal.
1. Keep Checking In on Them
When you see warning signs on people, it is always good to keep asking them about their mental health. Mental illness can be extremely dangerous if proper care is not provided. Not enough emphasis can be laid on the fact that checking in on everyone is very important.
Whether it is your friend or loved one, always ask them about how they are feeling. If you see any sign of suicidal ideation, then never leave them alone. Have you ever noticed if you ask someone how they feel they would always tell you that they are okay? That is exactly what humans do. If you ask someone how they are feeling just once, then they will never open up to you.
Show them you care. Show them that you are there to listen to how they are feeling. If they do not open up to you, then keep asking them. If you keep asking them, they will probably open up to you.
2. Be Patient with Them
One of the ways on how to help someone who is suicidal is by being patient with them. As mentioned in the above point, someone who wants to attempt suicide or even thinking about it the slightest bit will not be willing to open up.
One of the biggest struggles that people with mental illness face is that they find it very difficult to share their emotions with a family member or even their friends. So, do not give up on them. One of the ways to find out if someone is feeling suicidal is when they frequently talk about suicide or when they start isolating themselves and prefer to stay alone at all times. You will also find them acting a bit odd or out of place many times.
Look out for these signs and observe them. The reason why it is essential to be patient with them is that one wrong move or even wrong words can trigger them in more ways than you could imagine. That is why one of the forms on how to help someone who is suicidal is by being calm and patient with them and watching out to what you say.
3. Remind Them of People They Love
Another effective way on how to help someone who is suicidal is by reminding them of people they love and care about. Always remember that humans can be very selfless at times. They care about other people more than they care about themselves. They care more about their friends and family.
More often than not, if a person is feeling suicidal, maybe because they do not get enough love. It may also be because they feel unworthy, and they feel like nobody loves them. If you feel like that is the case, then you can always make sure to make them feel like they matter.
You can help them out by talking to people they love and how their actions can change the way that person feels and thinks. Once they start feeling like they are being loved and appreciated, only then can they make up their mind into thinking that they matter. That is why reminding them of people they love and care about is an effective way on how to help someone who is suicidal.
4. Do Things That Cheer Them Up
If you know them well enough, then you may be knowing about things that make them happy. If you do not know them well enough, then try to have a conversation with them and ask them about things they like or dislike. Get to know them and their favorite things in detail.
Sometimes, the smallest things can make them happy. Take them out for shopping or just a spontaneous day off. Even if they refuse to hang out, convince them to come with you. You can also stay at home and watch movies or shows that they love. It is essential that you keep in mind that you should encourage them to have a positive mindset.
How a person feels and thinks, plays a massive role in what goes on inside their mind. The warning signs are always there; you just need to be vigilant enough to observe it. You must look for it because people try to hide their emotions as much as they can. You must see if they are acting differently than usual or if they are looking out to stay lonely even if there are people around them.
All the little signs and the slightest details make you realize that a person may be feeling suicidal. It is always good to offer support and support a friend rather than regretting it later.
5. Ask Them to Seek Help
One of the ways on how to help someone who is suicidal is by convincing them to seek help. It may seem like the most challenging way, but finding advice from a mental health professional can be useful.
If you feel like what you are doing may not be enough to help them change their mind, then you can convince them that the best way to feel better is by consulting a professional.
There are a bunch of support groups as well, wherein people with similar struggles sit together and discuss what they are going through. Being a part of the support group can especially be useful because they all may share the same thoughts. They feel understood because they have other people like them.
Many a time, people who are suicidal think that they are only ones feeling that way and that nobody can truly understand how they feel. By being in the support group, they can find people who understand them, and they can all empower each other by encouraging each other that living life is worth it.
6. Call 911
If you think that the situation is getting out of control, then call 911 immediately. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it may just not be enough, and in that case, it becomes crucial to call 911.
There may be other national suicide prevention lifeline in your country that you can seek help from. It is better to take action as soon as possible because you never know what goes on in the mind of someone who is suicidal.
That is why seeking professional help is one of the best ways to help someone who is suicidal because professionals know how to handle these things in a better way.
It can be pretty difficult to help someone who has suicidal thoughts. More importantly, you should always understand their situation instead of being judgemental. If you are judgemental, then it can make things even worse.
There is a stigma surrounding mental health, and people need to educate themselves. It is high time that people start knowing that mental health can be severe, and it is tough to control, and that is another way to help someone who is suicidal.
These are a few of the ways on how to help someone who is suicidal. If you know someone who may be going through suicidal thoughts or who may have attempted suicide, then always reach out to them and never make them feel lonely because loneliness can be very damaging to the heart and brain.
Even if they may not have suicidal thoughts, always reach out to people, you know. Always be kind and make sure that you do not say hurtful things to anyone because how they appear in public may not always be how they feel from within.
Do you other ways on how to help someone who is suicidal? Let us know in the comments.
