Suicide - Some Solutions
There are no easy solutions for resolving the perennial menace of suicide. Nothing is foolproof because the dynamics of suicide, attempted or followed through, can vary from person to person.
The Home
The home is the primary institution where children's minds experience the power of being shaped and fashioned. Parents creating a wholesome home environment can strengthen the formative years of their child’s life. Some parents and guardians make unwise decisions and engage in abusive actions that may frustrate the personality development of children and create fertile soil for seeds of suicide ideation to germinate. Speaking positively to your child, affirming, listening and motivating them to develop their God-given capability can create a positive atmosphere for the child’s stability and happiness. Fostering a decent home setting is an excellent means of short-circuiting any strong desire to attempt or commit suicide.
The Church
It is a mistake to believe that churchgoers may not become suicidal. I know of individuals who, though faithful church members, have sought the assistance of the church in guiding them away from taking their own lives.
Most church leaders must seize opportunities to empower themselves in Critical Incident Stress Management to deal with any suicide eventuality which may present itself within the church and the wider community in which it serves. The church still has a long way to go in more ministers sensitizing their congregations to mental health challenges and their consequences.
Health Care Providers
The pressure a traumatic incident like sudden death may have on a loved one, can be very severe and has the potential of causing a person to lean toward suicide. Often one of the first responders to a critical or traumatic event is the Health Care Provider. It is vital, therefore, that all health care providers undergo training in critical incident stress management. This is not counselling; it is emotional or psychological first aid. It is a level of training designed to prevent those under the challenging effects of trauma from going from a stressed position into a distressed condition and beyond.
The Workplace
The ongoing pressures that many employers and employees continue to face daily can be very demanding on the mind. The cumulative stress and distress that plague individuals sometimes cause workers to break emotionally and surrender to suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, a few may even follow through. It is encouraging to see some workplaces offering programs that assist employers and employees to relieve some daily stress and tension. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can deal with these issues. Apart from the physical, attending to the social, mental, emotional and spiritual state of employees is crucial. If employees receive preventative care, it may discourage suicide ideation. Such programs have worked for some institutions and have improved the quality of work-life for both management and staff.
Institutions Of Learning
Educators at nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary levels should spot behavioural changes within the lives of their students with whom they interface regularly. Noticing out-of-character behaviours such as sadness, depression, non-performance, withdrawals and aggression should suggest something may be affecting the student. Intervention may become necessary. We should train teachers to spot the sudden or deteriorating shifts in students and take steps to ease a student’s move toward suicide. If the teacher or tutor cannot work with the student to shift his/her mind from negative thoughts, then seeking further help for the student may become necessary.
Government Action
Because the diverse effects of suicide impact society at every level, more than a cursory glance should drive governments to act assertively. Establishing national suicide units managed by a carefully selected group of volunteers should do wonders in helping to decrease the number of suicides. These units should be free from political interference and given full authority to function within their well-structured professional terms of reference. One of the many facilities that may work is a 24-hour suicide hotline.
As a worldwide health care hazard, every concerned individual must do all that is humanly possible to minimize this destructive force. Let us all work toward preserving life; it is precious.
The Home
The home is the primary institution where children's minds experience the power of being shaped and fashioned. Parents creating a wholesome home environment can strengthen the formative years of their child’s life. Some parents and guardians make unwise decisions and engage in abusive actions that may frustrate the personality development of children and create fertile soil for seeds of suicide ideation to germinate. Speaking positively to your child, affirming, listening and motivating them to develop their God-given capability can create a positive atmosphere for the child’s stability and happiness. Fostering a decent home setting is an excellent means of short-circuiting any strong desire to attempt or commit suicide.
The Church
It is a mistake to believe that churchgoers may not become suicidal. I know of individuals who, though faithful church members, have sought the assistance of the church in guiding them away from taking their own lives.
Most church leaders must seize opportunities to empower themselves in Critical Incident Stress Management to deal with any suicide eventuality which may present itself within the church and the wider community in which it serves. The church still has a long way to go in more ministers sensitizing their congregations to mental health challenges and their consequences.
Health Care Providers
The pressure a traumatic incident like sudden death may have on a loved one, can be very severe and has the potential of causing a person to lean toward suicide. Often one of the first responders to a critical or traumatic event is the Health Care Provider. It is vital, therefore, that all health care providers undergo training in critical incident stress management. This is not counselling; it is emotional or psychological first aid. It is a level of training designed to prevent those under the challenging effects of trauma from going from a stressed position into a distressed condition and beyond.
The Workplace
The ongoing pressures that many employers and employees continue to face daily can be very demanding on the mind. The cumulative stress and distress that plague individuals sometimes cause workers to break emotionally and surrender to suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, a few may even follow through. It is encouraging to see some workplaces offering programs that assist employers and employees to relieve some daily stress and tension. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can deal with these issues. Apart from the physical, attending to the social, mental, emotional and spiritual state of employees is crucial. If employees receive preventative care, it may discourage suicide ideation. Such programs have worked for some institutions and have improved the quality of work-life for both management and staff.
Institutions Of Learning
Educators at nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary levels should spot behavioural changes within the lives of their students with whom they interface regularly. Noticing out-of-character behaviours such as sadness, depression, non-performance, withdrawals and aggression should suggest something may be affecting the student. Intervention may become necessary. We should train teachers to spot the sudden or deteriorating shifts in students and take steps to ease a student’s move toward suicide. If the teacher or tutor cannot work with the student to shift his/her mind from negative thoughts, then seeking further help for the student may become necessary.
Government Action
Because the diverse effects of suicide impact society at every level, more than a cursory glance should drive governments to act assertively. Establishing national suicide units managed by a carefully selected group of volunteers should do wonders in helping to decrease the number of suicides. These units should be free from political interference and given full authority to function within their well-structured professional terms of reference. One of the many facilities that may work is a 24-hour suicide hotline.
As a worldwide health care hazard, every concerned individual must do all that is humanly possible to minimize this destructive force. Let us all work toward preserving life; it is precious.