How to Help Someone Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts

Suicide is a horrific tragedy for the individual and their loved ones.

Suicide rates in the United States have gone up exponentially within the past decade. From 2000 to 2016, male suicide rates increased by 21% and female suicide rates increased by 50%.1 You can prevent this from happening to someone you love by looking out for the warning signs of suicidal behavior. The signs of a suicidal person can be difficult to decipher, but staying informed can help you save a life.

As a mental health treatment center, we know that mental illness and suicide go hand in hand. Any individuals showing signs of suicide or mental health issues should seek treatment at our facility.

Common Signs of a Suicidal Person

Suicide is heartbreaking for the victim’s loved ones. The loss of life is always tragic and hard to cope with, especially when you’re left with unanswered questions. Although they can be subtle, signs of a suicidal person are often consistent.

Identify the Warning Signs

The first step in learning how to help someone contemplating suicide is to understand the warning signs of suicide.

Suicidal idealization is different for everyone, but some general signs of a suicidal person include:

• Depression or hopelessness
• Feeling like a burden to others
• Social withdrawal
• Signs of self-harm
• Talking or joking about death
• Bad sleep habits
• Saying goodbye to people
• Giving away possessions or getting their affairs in order
• Relief or sudden improvement in mood usually from decided to go through with it
• Talking about death or suicide
• Saying they feel hopeless or empty
• Talking about being unable to find a solution to problems
• Saying they don’t have a reason to continue living
• Believing or saying that other people are better off without them
• Saying big goodbyes to their loved ones

The less obvious signs of suicidal behavior include:

• Buying a weapon or drugs
• Odd changes in behavior
• Inability to sleep or sleeping too much
• Isolation from loved ones
• Unusual physical pain

If someone you care about is exhibiting these symptoms, it is time to act. Getting them help sooner rather than later could keep their problems from escalating or keep them from doing something they will regret. Right now, they may only need depression treatment, but without help, they may start considering suicide.

The more you know about the topic of suicide, the better prepared you will be to help someone -- even yourself. If you or someone you know experiences any of these symptoms, get help right away. Many individuals who suffer from suicidal thoughts often struggle with mental illness. We offer a mental health residential program where patients can receive effective treatment in a safe and comfortable environment.

How to Help Someone Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts

With suicide ranking as the 10th leading cause of death in the country, its high incidence is profoundly distressing, especially considering its preventable nature. Many have experienced the devastating loss of a loved one due to suicide, highlighting the urgent need for effective intervention strategies. Yet, aiding someone grappling with suicidal thoughts or a history of attempts is daunting, as it's intricately tied to mental health issues that can't be easily resolved through mere persuasion or optimism. The gravity of the situation demands informed support and professional intervention to address the underlying complexities of mental illness and suicidal ideation effectively.

What to Do When Your Loved One Is Suicidal

It can sometimes be hard to tell if your loved one is just depressed or if they are also suicidal. If you suspect that your loved one is having suicidal thoughts, you should carefully ask them questions about their feelings and look for warning signs such as a preoccupation with death, risky behavior, alcohol or drug dependence, and acquiring the means to kill oneself.

The next step to helping a loved one with suicidal thoughts is understanding their problem. As an outsider, it may be tempting to think they can just snap out of it and it can be frustrating when it seems like they just lack the effort. As a mental health facility, that works with people who suffer from varying mood and anxiety disorders, we know that overcoming depression is a difficult battle that takes time.

If you want to help a loved one who has suicidal thoughts, you should get them professional help immediately. While you may be frustrated that you cannot help them on your own, you should do your best to get them professional mental illness treatment. At our residential mental health program, we provide our patients with 24-hour care and therapeutic treatment as part of a comprehensive care plan for their addiction.

Unfortunately, depression and drug abuse often go hand in hand. If your loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol to cope with their feelings of depression, it is even more important to get them professional care before their problems get worse. With our co-occurring disorder treatment, you can help a loved one who has suicidal thoughts address both of these issues during recovery and get to the root of their problems.

Continue reading to learn some tips our behavioral health treatment center has put together on how to help someone struggling with suicidal thoughts so that you can be there for your loved one in need.

Find Out More

If someone you care about comes forward about experiencing suicidal thoughts or says it in passing, you need to take their threat seriously. Gently ask more questions. How long have they felt this way? Have they tried to commit suicide before?  What are they doing for help? Why do they feel this way? The more questions you ask, the more you can understand their situation and how serious it is.

Listen & Be Supportively

It can be difficult to know how to help someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, but sometimes your loved one just needs someone to talk to more than anything. Allow them to talk freely by listening without judgment. When they are done talking, make sure you remind them that you love and care about them. If they know they have someone they can talk to, it may help them deal with their feelings of hopelessness or depression.

Get Them Out

If you know that someone you care about is depressed or struggling with inner demons, they are likely to withdrawal from activities they once enjoyed and their loved ones. This isolation can make matters worse. Do your best to get your loved one out and about. Ask them to lunch at their favorite restaurant, watch the big game together, or try something new together. These activities may help remind your loved one that there is something worth living for.

Do Not Leave Them Alone

If you fear that your loved one is suicidal and has a plan in place to take their own life, do not leave them alone.

Encourage Professional Help

Unless you are a psychiatrist by profession, you are not equipped to handle this situation alone. You may not know how to talk someone out of killing themselves, but knowing how to get help for someone who is suicidal is just as important. You can enlist the help of someone who has experience in this field. Find them a psychiatrist or psychologist to talk to and take them to their appointments. Research a residential mental program and help them with the admissions process. If they are hesitant at first, you can also direct them to a hotline.

If you believe that someone you care about could be suicidal or needs help, do not wait to act. Although many people who threaten to commit suicide never actually do it, every threat should be taken seriously, and such talk is a sign that at least something is wrong.

At Banyan Mental Health, we help people with various mental health disorders find relief for their symptoms and move forward to happier lives. Call us today at (877) 360-1639 to learn more.

Sources:

1. 1. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- Suicide statistics
   2. CDC- Suicide Rates in the United States Continue to Increase