How does one become suicidal

Decreased need for sleep. Increased energy, or an inability to slow down. Racing, disorganized thoughts, easily distracted. Rapid, increased talking or laughing Grandiose ideas, increased creativity. Overly excited, euphoric, giddy, exhilarated. Excessive irritability, on edge. Increased sex drive, possibly resulting in affairs, inappropriate sexual behaviors. Poor judgment, impulsiveness, spending sprees Embarrassing social behavior.

Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations. Depression in Youth. Behavioral Clues Talking or joking about suicide. Giving away prized possessions. High risk behavior such as jumping from high places, running into traffic, self-injurious behaviors cutting, burning.

Previous suicidal thoughts or attempts. Believe a person goes to a better place after dying or can come alive after dying. Are impulsive act without realizing the consequences of their actions. Have no or little sense of fear or danger. Tend to have perfectionist tendencies. Truly feel that it would be better for everyone else if they were dead. Believe that if they could join a loved one who died, they would then be rid of their pain and be at peace.

Are hopeless; feeling that things will never get better, that they will never feel better. May think they will be rescued. Acting out pain because of an inability to verbalize feelings. Increased impulsiveness and impaired judgment, perceptions and cognitive skills. Out-patient psychotherapy: Cognitive Therapy — teaches more positive thinking, coping skills and problem-solving Interpersonal Therapy — might teach children how to make friends Group Therapy — with others of similar age that have a depressive illness Family Therapy — works with the entire family and discusses various family dynamics Various supports at school.

Talk with a school nurse about the options available. Various forms of play therapy, relaxation therapy, biofeedback, visualization. Antidepressant medications, stimulants, also some types of alternative medicine.

Hospitalization in-patient, partial hospitalization, day-treatment. Assure your child they can feel better, that suicidal thoughts are only temporary, and that there are people who can help them.

Always take suicidal tendencies seriously and respond immediately. Know that early intervention is the key to successful treatment for children who suffer from depressive illnesses.

Depression in Elderly. It is a myth that depression is part of the aging process. Symptoms Watch for standard symptoms of depression, as well as these symptoms common among the elderly suffering from depression: Complaints of aches and pains back, stomach, arms, legs, head, chest , fatigue, slowed movements and speech, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, weight increase or decrease, blurred vision, dizziness, heart racing, anxiety.

An overall sadness or apathy, withdrawn; unable to find pleasure in anything. Alcoholism can mask an underlying depression. Behaviors Watch for the following behaviors: Talk about suicide, e. Preoccupation with death. Suddenly happier, calmer. Loss of interest in things one cares about.

Unusual visiting or calling people one cares about — saying goodbyes. Giving things away. Stockpiling pills or obtaining a weapon. Where to get help: Family physicians, clinics and health maintenance organizations can provide treatment or make referrals to mental health specialists. Mental health specialists like psychiatrists, psychologists, family therapists and social workers. Psychiatrists can prescribe antidepressant drugs because they are physicians. Other mental health specialists, however, often work with physicians to ensure that their patients receive the medications they need.

Hospitals and university medical schools may have research centers that study and treat depression. What to do: Stigma associated with depressive illnesses can prevent people from getting help.

For more information about depression and its treatment, visit our depression center. As a friend or family member of a suicidal person, you can help in several very important ways. First, you can help interrupt and disarm any active suicide attempts and defuse the danger of the immediate crisis situation.

Second, you can help the suicidal person get connected to a mental health professional who can offer him or her effective support and intervention. Third, you can provide ongoing support and "cheerleading" as the person participates in treatment, practices new methods of coping and continues on with the often stressful business of day-to-day living.

In order to be effective in your helping, it will be necessary for you to go easy on any tendency you might have to judge the suicidal person. You must keep in mind that stress affects each person differently.

Just because you might be able to handle something doesn't mean that everyone else can too with similar ease. There are often complicating factors that alter people's ability to cope that you may not know about, or about which you may not have proper perspective. Your judgment may end up being quite unfair and inappropriate. It will also certainly be perceived as criticism during a time when criticism is especially unwelcome. The survivor may be searching for answers, but your role for the foreseeable future is simply to be supportive and listen to what they have to say about the person, the death, and their feelings.

Remember his or her life. Suicide isn't the most important thing about the person who died. Share memories and stories; use the person's name "Remember when Brian taught my daughter how to ride a two-wheeler? If suicide has come at the end of a long struggle with mental or physical illness, be aware that the family may want to recognize the ongoing illness as the true cause of death.

Acknowledge uncertainty. Survivors are not all alike. Even if you are a suicide survivor yourself, don't assume that another person's feelings and needs will be the same as yours. It's fine to say you can't imagine what this is like or how to help. Follow the survivor's lead when broaching sensitive topics: "Would you like to talk about what happened? Even a survivor who doesn't want to talk will appreciate that you asked.

Help with the practical things. Offer to run errands, provide rides to appointments, or watch over children. Ask if you can help with chores such as watering the garden, walking the dog, or putting away groceries. The survivor may want you to sit quietly, or perhaps pray, with him or her. Ask directly, "What can I do to help?

Be there for the long haul. Jordan calls our culture's standard approach to grief the "flu model": grief is unpleasant but is relatively short-lived; after a stay at home, the bereaved person will jump back into life. Unfortunately, that means that once survivors are back at work and able to smile or socialize again, they quickly get the message that they shouldn't talk about their continuing grief.

Even if a survivor isn't bringing up the subject, you can ask how she or he is coping with the death and be ready to listen or respect a wish not to talk about it.

Be patient and willing to hear the same stories or concerns repeatedly. Acknowledging emotional days such as a birthday or anniversary of the death — by calling or sending a card, for example — demonstrates your support and ongoing appreciation of the loss. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Stuttering in children: How parents can help. Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps. Finding balance: 3 simple exercises to steady your steps. People bereaved by a suicide often get less support because it's hard for them to reach out — and because others are unsure how to help. What makes suicide different The death of a loved one is never easy to experience, whether it comes without warning or after a long struggle with illness.

For example: A traumatic aftermath. Support from other survivors Research suggests that suicide survivors find individual counseling see "Getting professional help" and suicide support groups to be particularly helpful. Getting professional help Suicide survivors are more likely than other bereaved people to seek the help of a mental health professional.

The therapist can support you in many ways, including these: helping you make sense of the death and better understand any psychiatric problems the deceased may have had treating you, if you're experiencing PTSD exploring unfinished issues in your relationship with the deceased aiding you in coping with divergent reactions among family members offering support and understanding as you go through your unique grieving process.