World Suicide Prevention Day 2022: Theme, Significance, How To Identify If Someone Is Suicidal & What Can You Do

Significance

World Suicide Prevention Day is observed on the 10th of September every year. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization created World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) in 2003. (WHO). Every year on September 10th, organisations, governments, and the general public increase awareness of the problem, eliminate stigma and give a clear message that suicide can be avoided.

Around the world, an estimated 703,000 people commit suicide each year. There are perhaps 20 people who attempt suicide for every suicide, and many more have significant suicidal thoughts. Suicidal behaviour has a huge influence on millions of people and causes them to experience severe grief.

Every suicide occurrence is a public health issue that has a significant effect on the people in the area. We can lower the number of suicides worldwide by increasing knowledge, removing the stigma associated with it, and promoting informed action.

Theme

The three-year theme for World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021 to 2023 is "Creating hope through action." This theme attempts to instill hope and brightness in all of us by serving as a reminder that there are alternatives to suicide.

Through our actions, we may show those who are contemplating suicide that there is hope and that we care about them and want to help them. It also implies that our efforts, no matter how great or tiny, might give those who are having a hard time hope.

Finally, it emphasises how crucial it is for nations to make suicide prevention a top priority for public health, especially in cases where access to mental health care and the provision of data-based treatments are already limited. It is possible to picture a world where suicides are less common by expanding on this theme and communicating this message over the course of three years.

What are the signs for someone who is suicidal?

These are the circumstances, states, and other elements that increase the risk of suicide for some people:

• having a mental condition, especially one that is untreated and one of the following: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or conduct disorder
• having a problem with substance abuse
• Being very unwell, having a chronic or fatal condition, or experiencing severe, ongoing pain
• being affected by a traumatic brain injury
• stressful life circumstances, particularly those that last a long time, such as bullying or relationship issues
• conditions that are suddenly unpleasant or distressing, such as losing a loved one
• Having endured violence and trauma as a child
• Possessing access to deadly weapons
• exposure to suicide by another individual
• Past attempts at suicide
• A suicide history in the family

How to help someone who's suicidal?

As discussed above, there may be signs through which you can identify someone who might be suicidal. Here are some ways in which you can help someone who might be showing signs of being suicidal:

• Recognise the suicide risk and depression warning signals.
• Take seriously any mentions of suicide and follow your intuition.
• Engage in "attentive listening" and get engaged.
• Motivate the individual to seek expert guidance.
• Never leave someone you believe to be at "high risk" for suicide alone.
• Get assistance right away if the individual in crisis has taken a life-threatening action.

In conclusion, better safe than sorry. You are encouraged to take the right measures when dealing with someone that may not be doing well mentally. Even little support and care can go a long way.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.