Are you or your child suicidal or having feelings of despair?

 

If you ever think your child is actively contemplating suicide, move quickly. Here is what the experts suggest you do in this situation:

• ·      Don't leave your child alone for even one minute
• ·      As them if he/she intends to hurt thesleves
• ·     Tell him or her that you and he/she can work out this problem,and reassure them that you are there for them,don't just talk REALLY listen  
• ·      Be kind and comforting and don't yell
• ·      Remove all weapons from the home

Call the National Suicide Hotline for advice (1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-784-2433; 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255).

If your own doctor can’t see your child immediately, take him straight to the emergency room for evaluation.

 

What is suicide?

 

Suicide is the process of purposely ending one's own life. The way societies view suicide varies widely according to culture and religion. For example, many Western cultures, as well as mainstream Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tend to view killing oneself as quite negative. One myth about suicide that may be the result of this view is considering suicide to always be the result of a mental illness. Some societies also treat a suicide attempt as if it were a crime. However, suicides are sometimes seen as understandable or even honorable in certain circumstances, such as in protest to persecution (for example, hunger strike), as part of battle or resistance (for example, suicide pilots of World War II; suicide bombers) or as a way of preserving the honor of a dishonored person (for example, killing oneself to preserve the honor or safety of family members).

 

Nearly 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 million to 20 million suicide attempts annually. About 30,000 people reportedly kill themselves each year in the United States. The true number of suicides is likely higher because some deaths that were thought to be an accident, like a single-car accident, overdose, or shooting, are not recognized as being a suicide. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in males and the 16th leading cause of death in females. The higher frequency of completed suicides in males versus females is consistent across the life span. In the United States, boys 10-14 years of age commit suicide twice as often as their female peers. Teenage boys 15-19 years of age complete suicide five times as often as girls their age, and men 20-24 years of age commit suicide 10 times as often as women their age. Gay, lesbian, and other sexual minority youth are more at risk for thinking about and attempting suicide than heterosexual teens.

 

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people 10-24 years of age. Teen suicide statistics for youths 15-19 years of age indicate that from 1950-1990, the frequency of suicides increased by 300% and from 1990-2003, that rate decreased by 35%. However, from 2000-2006, the rate of suicide has gradually increased, both in the 10-24 years and the 25-64 years old age groups. While the rate of murder-suicide remains low at 0.0001%, the devastation it creates makes it a concerning public-health issue.

 

The rate of suicide can vary with the time of year, as wells as with the time of day. For example, the number of suicides by a train tend to peak soon after sunset and about 10 hours earlier each day. Although professionals like police officers and dentists are thought to be more vulnerable to suicide than others, important flaws have been found in the research upon which those claims are based.

 

As opposed to suicidal behavior, self-mutilation is defined as deliberately hurting oneself without meaning to cause one's own death. Examples of self-mutilating behaviors include cutting any part of the body, usually of the wrists. Self-tattooing is also considered self-mutilation. Other self-injurious behaviors include self-burning, head banging, pinching, and scratching

 

 

Causes of suicide:

 

What are some possible causes of suicide?

 

Although the reasons why people commit suicide are multifaceted and complex, life circumstances that may immediately precede someone committing suicide include the time period of at least a week after discharge from a psychiatric hospital or a sudden change in how the person appears to feel (for example, much worse or much better). Examples of possible triggers (precipitants) for suicide are real or imagined losses, like the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving, loss (especially if by suicide) of a friend, loss of freedom, or loss of other privileges.

 

Firearms are by far the most common methods by which people take their life, accounting for nearly 60% of suicide deaths per year. Older people are more likely to kill themselves using a firearm compared to younger people. Another suicide method used by some individuals is by threatening police officers, sometimes even with an unloaded gun or a fake weapon. That is commonly referred to as "suicide by cop." Although firearms are the most common way people complete suicide, trying to overdose on medication is the most common means by which people attempt to kill themselves

 

In Jacksonville Florida where can I go to get help?

 

• ·       Act Corporation (Crisis Center)

1220 Willis Avenue

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Admin Phone: (904) 947 - 4270

Fax: (386) 226 – 0474

Crisis Line: (800) 539 – 4228

Available 24 hours.

www.actcorp.org

1150 Red John Road

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

 

• ·       Alachua County Crisis Center (Crisis Center)

218 Southeast 24^th Street

Gainesville, Florida 32641

Admin Phone: (352) 264 – 6785

Fax: (352) 264 – 6777

Crisis Line: (352) 264 – 6789

Available 24 hours.

http://www.alachuacounty.us/

 

 

 

• ·       Apalachee Center (Crisis Center)

2634 Capital Circle Northeast

Tallahassee, FL 32308

Admin Phone: (850) 523 – 3333; (800) 342 – 0744

24 hour evaluation and admissions.

         www.apalacheecenter.org

 

• ·       Clay County Behavioral Health Center – Access Team (Crisis Center)

3232 County Road 220

Middleburg, FL 32068

Admin Phone: (904) 291 – 5561

Fax: (904) 291 – 5289

• ·       First Call for Help, United Way (Crisis Center)

P.O. Box 41428

Jacksonville, FL 32203 – 1428

Admin Phone: (904) 390 – 3291

Fax: (904) 390 – 3219

Crisis Line: (800) 346 – 6185

Crisis hotline services only

• ·       Alternative choices for depression healing:

 

-What Is an Alternative Therapy?

 

A health treatment that is not classified as standard Western medical practice is referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM encompasses a variety of approaches. They include everything from diet and exercise to mental conditioning and lifestyle changes. Examples of CAM therapies include:

 

Acupuncture

Aromatherapy

Biofeedback

Chiropractic treatments

Guided imagery

Dietary supplements

Hypnosis

Massage therapy

Meditation

Relaxation

Yoga

Which Herbal Supplements Can Help Depression?

There is a wide variety of herbal supplements that people believe can treat many illnesses. For depression, St. John's Wort is a common herbal supplement that is used.

St. John's wort has been used for medical purposes in other parts of the world for thousands of years. But research findings have been mixed.

Using an herbal supplement requires caution and should be taken only after consulting your doctor. This is because supplements could interact with medicines that you are also taking, and use could be dangerous for people with certain conditions. Your doctor can help you weigh the risks and potential benefits. That way, you can make an informed decision