World Suicide Prevention Day - Misconceptions about suicide and why people might not reach out
There are a lot of misconceptions and stigma around suicide which is a pretty taboo topic in itself, and all these contribute a lot to making it hard for people to reach out and talk openly about their struggles. Yet, talking about it and having the opportunity to reach out, to get help, could be a life-changer, literally. Today for World Suicide Prevention Day Id like to go over some common misconceptions to break them down. Id like to go over the reasons why it can be so hard to reach out so we can work on removing them.
But before anything, this can be a triggering topic so please be safe. If at any point the topic starts feeling triggering, please get appropriate support. <3
Myth: People who talk about suicide only do it for attention, theyll never act on it. / People often commit suicide out of the blue.
Fact: According to research, 80% of people affected by suicide have done or said something as a warning sign to tell their intentions. While not everyone might act on their threats, they always need to be taken seriously as they may indicate serious suicidal thoughts.
Myth: People who attempt suicide always have a mental health condition.
Fact: There are a lot of situations unrelated to mental health issues that can lead to suicide attempts. Not dealing with a mental health condition doesnt mean a person wont ever deal with suicidal thoughts. This is why awareness matters so much.
Myth: People who want to commit suicide will find a way no matter what you do.
Fact: People are often torn, what they want is for the pain to stop, for their situation to be solved, for their struggles to stop.
Myth: Talking about suicide will encourage it.
Fact: Talking about it is actually a way to reduce the stigma, to allow the persons to reach out and seek help, it may help them feel less overwhelmed, less pressured, it may help them rethink the situation theyre in and it may bring them help from loved ones.
All of these stigma add up and make it hard for people to reach out when theyre struggling with suicidal thoughts, because they might:
● feel ashamed of their struggles
● be scared theyll be hospitalized right away
● not have a safe space to talk openly about their struggles
● be worried about being accused of attention-seeking
● not want to burden others or worry them
● have the image of a strong person which doesnt match with their current struggles
● be worried to be misunderstood
● not know how to talk about what theyre feeling or going through
● feel unworthy of support
● fear to be dismissed, rejected or given overly simplistic advice
● be worried theyll be judged
Spreading awareness is so very important, to encourage people to reach out but also to provide them with a safe space, where they feel like they can reach out – this is why misconceptions need to be broken down and why the above reasons need to be worked on and removed. We all deserve a safe space, we all deserve to be able to share our struggles no matter how big or small they might be, we all deserve patient, understanding and caring people to listen to us while we do so, we all deserve to have the real possibility to reach out and seek the help that we need and that were worthy of getting. <3
Discussion:
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide?
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones?
Thanks for reading!
~ Waves
If you are actively planning to commit suicide, or find yourself dealing with what is considered as passive suicidal ideation, it is important that you reach out to a crisis line for appropriate support. Here you will find some community sourced crisis lines and resources.
Credits:
@realdepressionproject and save.org
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@LinearWaves
Hello! I love how you explained this topic very well!!
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide?
I think many people don't understand how they really feel so they just judge them saying that they want attention which is not true. I also think that these same people who do that could be going through something different but they stay quiet and don't like it when others who are going through suicide, try to speak upon it. Unfortunately, they are also many others who take it as a joke, and then others believe that that is what makes the majority of those who really are going through suicidal thoughts.
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones?
I think having a month for it is amazing, but I think having awareness all the time is even better. I see that many just posts about it when it's suicide prevention month but some do check-ins on it throughout the year. I think that we can openly talk with our loved ones and just let them know and feel that we really are here for them. Making them feel comfortable, and safe can help us find a way to understand them and do our best to help them.
I loved this post, thank you for this! If anyone out there feels like they aren't loved or don't belong, you do belong and I love you, and I believe in you 
@healinghearts0718
Thanks for sharing, it makes a lot of sense and brings a lot to think about! I
@LinearWaves
I love your question! I absolutely think that is the case, unfortunately. They make these jokes and when they see that, they know or might feel as if no one else will take them serious which then causes them not to speak up.
Thank you, and have a great day/night!
@LinearWaves
I think there are anumber of reasons there are so many stigmas and misconceptions because it's a taboo subject in alot of cultures. Religions claim you'll go to hell if you do it. Some people see it as being weak. Other people see it as selfish because you aren't thinking of what it will do to others in your life. For many people - they see themselves as a burden to others and really don't want to hurt anyone else - but they're also tired of the pain they feel. Whether it's mental - emotional or physical pain. They just want it to stop
Just listen - don't judge. Don't tell them they're not thinking right or normally. Don't dismiss or demean what they're feeling or thinking. Don't think that talking about it is going to give them ideas. Believe me the ideas are allready there. It's better to get them out in the open - then to make people feel ashamed of what they're feeling and thinking
@mytwistedsoul
Thanks for sharing your insights! Religion and the fact it is straight up taboo in some cultures definitely make it hard… Just the other day I actually watched a video explaining how taboo it was in Korea, so taboo that some families who had lost a child to suicide would actually lie about it and say they moved for school or something, so as not to be cast away… I hope awareness can be raised, and that people can be as supportive as you described!
I think it's important, very very important, to speak loudly about these matters. And raise awareness by create more applications who can help suicidal persons. I had a several breakdown once, and I had a problem with finding something @_@ maybe someone here can recommend some useful sources? Also, I think it's important to speak honestly and in loving,gentle way with people in these matters. No kidding, no laughing, no lying, just a kindness and support, and willingness to help.
@inventiveAcai3503
On this link you can find some resources and links to other resources : https://help.7cups.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026238093-Crisis
Raisin more awareness is definitely much needed, thanks for sharing!
@LinearWaves
Thank you thank you thank you for your post. This was so needed!
@BraveAdventurer <3
Raising awareness is definitely needed!
@LinearWaves
I think there is stigma and misconception about suicide because it's looked at in a negative light by some people. As something selfish the person did and that they could have done something else other than taken their own life. I think that's where people almost don't want to learn and understand that suicide for people isn't something they go into to be selfish. And that's where the stigmas and misconceptions stem from.
I think it's important to educate people and to continue to offer support for people who are feeling suicidal. The suicide hotline is an amazing outlet but I feel like above where it says people feel like a burden and that's why some people don't speak up. I feel if we made it more acceptable to talk about suicide and not make it such an elephant in the room than we can slowly get to place where people will comfortable reaching out for the help they need.
@sunshine2118
The negative light and the supposed-selfishness of the act definitely brings a lot of stigma and makes it incredibly hard for people to reach out…
I agree with you on that, suicide should be more acceptable to be talked about, although it can be tricky… If someone is being actively suicidal and not
@LinearWaves
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide?
I think many people don't understand how they feel and therefore have really strong emotions. As at that time their logical side of the brain stops working and only the emotional side of their brain works, the brain forgets to keep them safe and they feel at that time it is the right thing to do but deep down they know it is really hard. People who commits suicide are really brave or they had traumatic pasts that keeps haunting them which is also a sign of depression.
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones?
We could start a fundraising club where we help those people in need and bring peace and unity. We should be there for our loved ones and remind them constantly that they are not alone.
@sweetlife101
Thanks for sharing this! It gives a lot to think, that people might not understand how they feel and strong emotions might have them think only with their emotional brain. Based on this, it could be good then to have more general mental health awareness, so as to know better how to handle our emotions.
@LinearWaves
Yes absoluetely. I agree with you completely.
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide? I think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide because of its portrayals in the media and in informational videos in schools. These portrayals are not a realistic depiction of what a suicidal person looks like, and it would be much more valuable to hear from real teens who have struggled with suicidal thoughts and attempts and overcame them.
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones? We could all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones by not casting judgment on those who are thinking about suicide, and instead listening to them and providing the support they need so they can feel better.
@Kassy7cups
Thats a really good point, thanks for sharing it ! Its true that even if theyre trying to do good, videos can be really inaccurate and bring more stigma than break any… Having real people share about their struggles would indeed be much more accurate, I hope one day they can make this replacement!
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide?
I think it's because people don't understand suicide. It's pretty difficult to understand why someone would end their own life if you've never experienced suicidal ideation, or even if someone close to you has. Many people try to find reasons for a person to commit suicide, and if they don't understand it, they usually attribute it to the reasons they themselves might commit suicide, which of course, since they've never experienced suicidal ideation, will always be something like "weakness", or "selfishness", or "they're just a crazy person".
No one really wants to talk about suicide either, so these misconceptions don't get corrected, and the stigma stays.
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones?
Just talking about suicide breaks some of the stigma. We can talk about our fears and our emotions and about the loss that comes with suicide. We can just talk about some people we might be concerned about, and how we can reach out to them
This also lets others know that we are open and willing to talk if they ever need help. One of the worst feelings in the world for people struggling with suicidal ideation is that there's no one they can turn to for help. By being open about suicide, we send the message that we are here to help
No one should ever struggle with this alone. By opening our door to people who may need help, we can create safer and more welcoming spaces for our community
@honestpanda81
This brings a very good and interesting point ! Its true that not understanding why someone would make that choice can look like being weak/selfish/crazy to others… Its good to remember that we all experience things differently, and that no matter how hard we try to put ourselves in someone elses shoes to know what theyre going through, it will never be 100% accurate. And in addition to that, we dont know all the struggles people are going through.
Thank you for sharing this important message, we all need to be more open about suicide and talking about it, to provide safe spaces for anyone who might be struggling <3
@LinearWaves
Amazing post, Waves! ❤️ Thank you for spreading awareness. It is definitely much needed.
Why do you think there is so much stigma and misconceptions about suicide? People are scared to talk about it. The more afraid people are of something, generally, the more they're willing to hide it. The stigma comes from fear.
How could we all help raise awareness and provide safe spaces for our loved ones? Educate ourselves on suicide- what it is, why it occurs, how to spot warning signs, how to connect with suicidal or potentially suicidal people, how to encourage them to take action. I highly recommend doing courses that focus on Suicide and aiding people. I did a two day course on Suicide prevention and it was such a good and mind-opening experience. I learnt how to connect with people and how to spot turning points and encourage a different course of action.
@rebecca947
Thanks Rebecca <3 And thanks for your insights, fear makes a lot of sense indeed, now I wonder where that fear may come from, fear of death? Fear of being unable to help? Fear of ones suffering?
Wow I didnt even know such courses existed for everyone… It would definitely be helpful to help raise awareness, change people mindsets and most importantly have more people that are able to help and spot warning signs. I actually believe this should be done in our education, somewhere around high school, I hope one day it can be this way!
Thanks again for sharing! Have a lovely day!
@LinearWaves Wow. I wrote a long, heartfelt post to add here just to get a message saying it sounds like I may be in crisis. I just wanted to share in this discussion but I take it as this is a sign not to.
@YourCaringConfidant
Hi there! If you are struggling in any way, do reach out to us for support, we are happy to help :-)
Find a listener to meet your needs here: https://www.7cups.com/BrowseListeners/
If you are struggling with suicidal ideation, we are not trained to help you, but here is a helpful resource you can use:
https://help.7cups.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026242193-Crisis-Resources
Take care and stay strong! <3
@YourCaringConfidant
Hey there! I'm really sorry you had this problem with the crisis message, and also sorry we won't get to hear what you had to add to the topic... I get how this message is for safety and all, but for such things it feels pretty counterproductive and we should at least get to edit our post instead of having it dissapear, I'll see if I can contact someone about it, because it actually caused me issues when posting this discussion :\ But trust me this isn't a sign, awareness does need to be raised, it just shows in a way how tricky it is to raise it...!
Have a lovely day <3
