Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-25406802-20180409112405

Hi. I'm Sonar553. You probably know me as a moderator in this wiki, maybe as a friend, or maybe as an edgy idiot. That's not really the point I'm trying to make, but this is about something that has been concerning me for the past few months.

A good number of you people like to mention about suicide and self-harm in the form of a joke that ends up being offensive, and this still continues. It's like as if using any self-harm related words are now used as indirect jokes like when people use the words "gay" or "autistic".

Probably you don't see my point, but the thing is suicide is not a joke. Almost 800,000 people will die of self-harm injuries, and the attempts to kill oneself is more frequent, by 20 times. Suicide is now closer to the top 5 leading causes of death between adolescents/people ages 15-29, if it isn't in the list already. These statistics will continue to rise, yet there is really not much care about these situations.

Why?

Because some people think suicide is a joke or some sort of plea to withdraw from activities. I'm not trying to direct the blame at anyone, but I'm just seeing a bit more carelessness into these types of situations.

Imagine if you had lost your best friend due to his detrimental thoughts taking over him and ended up becoming the reason he's gone. There will be pain throughout the family, to you, their best friend, and others who had been there for them... even those who just plain knew them. It would be absolutely heart-aching to experience one of these types of situations, because it's the last from what we want to hear or see.

Let's bring back the statistic of 800,000 people. This statistic tallies that about 1 person in under 1 minute (roughly 40 seconds) would lose their life through the means of self-harm. That's one too many,

- Now... you may not see it, but there will be people who, even if they may seem happy, may undergo a lot of stress through their life.

If you want to identify someone as feeling depressed or suicidal, use the IS PATH WARM procedure.

I - Ideation: The word Ideation is a psychological term meaning the formation of ideas and concepts. This can include detrimental images and thoughts released out as words.

S - Substance Abuse: The person may continuously use a form of substance in a manner it shouldn't be used, which would end up as harmful.

P - Purposelessness: The person may not thing they are fit for the world. They may share this feeling of not belonging, when they actually matter the most.

A - Anxiety: This is a major situation. People with anxiety tend to get stressed a bit more easily, to the point where even the smallest of situations can be a major setback for them.

T - Trapped: The person may be stuck to their own emotions which keep them cornered, which ties in with...

H - Hopelessness/Helplessness: Maybe the person does not find anyone that he deems trustworthy to share his feelings too. It is also a given that there are some people who find the comfort of releasing their feelings by sharing this to others to remove the stress, yet at the same time they don't feel heard or not helped out.

W - Withdrawal: This is also a notable one. Withdrawal is the act of taking oneself from doing something. Anytime you see someone being more and more reluctant to join one of their favorite activities or do something fun, it's a notable sign that there is some stress involved.

A - Anger: People who feel like they are stuck to their own emotions may have the tendency to have the "unusual" behavior of getting more stressed and angry on frequent basis, not from what they are originally deemed to be known. This may be how they release their emotions.

R - Recklessness: The definition of this word is "showing or having no regard over dangerous situations or consequences. Their actions may be seen as out of the ordinary and harmful, yet they may not act as though it is problematic.

M - Mood Changes: Everybody has a personality, and over time it changes and we all know that. However, people will have their behavior changed into something that we won't originally be able to identify since they never had it in the first place. This can range through attitude and actions. However, this can include the feeling of emotion. What once might have been a happy person may be one who seldom talks and feels bittersweet. Anytime these mood changes are imminent, it is a notable sign as well.

-

As a person who may know someone who is feeling depressed, your best effort may be to confront them in a formal and comforting manner. How can you do this?

1. Try reaching out to them and tell him you want to help them and will be there for them.

2. Have empathy for people who feel this way. Empathy is seemingly lessening of the period of time to the point people would say "is lacking".

3. Try not to bring up the topic of suicide or depression immediately into the conversation. Say something like, "I've noticed you've been down recently" and anything similar to the intensity of this suggestion. If they bring up the topic of suicide, then state to them how the situation is a treatable situation (often called a mental disorder) to lighten that person.

4. Ask questions regarding how they are feeling. Remember, try not to be informal. Ask questions like "When did you feel this way" or "How can I best support you right now".

5. Remember, to check up with them every now and then to make sure they are alright.

If these situations are serious at this moment and provokes serious amounts of worry. Please refer to the [Suicide Prevention centre] or to the hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

If you are one of these people who feel depressed, remember that you are not alone and people, including us, will always be there for you every step in the way :).

Thank you for listening. You can take this as some sort of rant or whatnot, but I hope this sparks awareness to a growing situation.

~Sincerely

Sonar553 