Chances are that during the course of your lifetime, or maybe more so in your 50s and 60s, you’ve known people who’ve said that they wanted to end their lives. Perhaps they were victims of trauma or were dealing with physical and/or psychological challenges. Maybe they were simply crying for help.
Regardless, it’s important to take any discussion about suicide seriously. There’s also a school of thought which says that those contemplating suicide do not always give warnings.
When speaking with colleagues who are psychotherapists, that they’re often surprised to hear about a patient’s passing. Some have even claimed that they thought another one of their patients was more likely to take his or her life than the one who actually did.
Suicide is a permanent solution to what might be a temporary problem. September is National Suicide Prevention Month and a good time to brush up on the facts about suicide and how to help those who might be considering it.
According to the American Foundation for Marriage and Family Therapy, while older adults account for 12 percent of the population in the United States, they also account for 18 percent of suicides. And, men are more likely than women to consider taking their lives.
In seniors, or those battling life-threatening illnesses, there’s something called “silent suicides” where death occurs as a result of self-starvation, overdosing, or accidents. According to a study published in the Journal for Family Issues, relationship issues are the most common reasons for suicide.
In the elderly, in particular, loneliness, living in isolation, and grieving the loss of loved ones are often causes of suicide. Another reason in the case of seniors relates to aging, life-threatening diseases, and the limitations placed on their lives due to reduced financial and health situations.
Most often there’s a sense of hopelessness and loss of interest in life. According to many sources, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, having major depression can increase the chance of suicide, so recognizing and treating this condition is very important. Those who are depressed tend to isolate themselves and focus on negativity more than the rest of the population.
Most suicide attempts are rehearsed or planned. Seniors are more likely to be successful when trying to take their lives. In fact, one in four seniors usually succeeds which is higher than those trying to take their lives during their youth.
If you hear of or notice an attempt, it’s important to intervene immediately. Some warning signs include insomnia, nightmares, restlessness, and agitation.
If you observe that your loved one is becoming more withdrawn, then it might be a good time to find out what’s going on. They might withdraw because they do not want help but simply want to detach from loved ones. That is, they just want to die.
The American Foundation of Marriage and Family Therapy claims that at least 40 percent of suicides in the elderly are due to what is known as “secret despair” where they might feel trapped by negative experiences and have a profound sense of hopelessness.
These types of suicides are related to self-neglect, self-starvation, self-dehydration, and accidents.
After someone dies by means of a suicide, and the person’s loved ones are questioned afterward, most say that they had no idea of the person’s intentions. They’re often in shock and riddled with deep feelings of guilt.
They might find themselves asking if there was a sign they missed or if there was something they could have done to prevent this irreversible act.
While there are not always clues to an impending suicide, these are behaviors to be cognizant of:
My grandmother committed suicide when I was 10, and nobody spoke about it until many decades later. While years ago, suicide had been a taboo subject, rarely discussed, today the lines of communication are much more open, and there are many more resources available for those in need.
Here are some immediate things you can do if you’re worried about those in your life:
If you or someone you know has talked about suicide, please call:
If you live in any other country, google “suicide prevention [your country]” for the current number.
What do you know about senior suicide in the United States? Has a relative or close friend taken their life? Did they show any signs that you only recognized in the aftermath of the event? Please share with our community and let’s have a conversation.
Tags Medical Conditions
Kuna uwezekano kwamba katika kipindi cha maisha yako, au labda zaidi katika miaka yako ya 50 na 60, umewahi kuwa na watu ambao wamesema kwamba wanataka kumaliza maisha yao. Labda walikuwa waathirika wa majeraha au walikuwa wakishughulika na changamoto za kimwili na au za kisaikolojia. Labda walikuwa wakilia tu kwa ajili ya msaada. Hata hivyo, ni muhimu kuchukua kwa uzito mazungumzo yoyote kuhusu kujiua. Pia kuna shule ya kufikiri ambayo husema kwamba wale wanaofikiria kujiua si mara zote hutoa maonyo. Wakati wa kuzungumza na wenzake ambao ni psychotherapists, kwamba wao ni mara nyingi kushangazwa kusikia kuhusu mgonjwa's kupita. Baadhi yao hata walisema kwamba walifikiri kwamba mgonjwa mwingine alikuwa na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kujiua kuliko yule aliyemwua. Kujiua ni suluhisho la kudumu kwa tatizo la muda tu. Septemba ni Mwezi wa Kuzuia Kujiua na ni wakati mzuri wa kufahamu ukweli kuhusu kujiua na jinsi ya kuwasaidia wale ambao wanaweza kuwa wakifikiria kujiua. Kulingana na Shirika la Marekani la Msaada wa Ndoa na Familia, watu wazima ni asilimia 12 ya idadi ya watu nchini Marekani, na ni asilimia 18 ya watu wanaojaribu kujiua. Wanaume wana uwezekano mkubwa zaidi kuliko wanawake wa kufikiria kujiua. Katika wazee, au wale wanaopambana na magonjwa yanayohatarisha maisha, kuna kitu kinachoitwa "kujiua kimya" ambapo kifo hutokea kama matokeo ya kujinyima chakula, kutumia dawa kupita kiasi, au ajali. Kulingana na utafiti uliochapishwa katika jarida la Journal of Family Problems, matatizo ya mahusiano ni sababu ya kawaida ya kujiua. Kwa wazee hasa, upweke, kuishi peke yao, na kuomboleza kifo cha wapendwa wao ni visababishi vya kujiua. Sababu nyingine kwa wazee ni uzee, magonjwa yanayohatarisha maisha, na vizuizi vinavyowekwa kwenye maisha yao kwa sababu ya hali ya chini ya kifedha na afya. Mara nyingi kuna hisia ya kukosa matumaini na kupoteza upendezi katika maisha. Kulingana na Wizara ya Afya na Huduma za Binadamu ya Marekani, kuwa na unyogovu mkubwa kunaweza kuongeza uwezekano wa kujiua, kwa hiyo kutambua na kutibu hali hii ni muhimu sana. Watu walio na mshuko wa moyo hujihusisha na mambo yasiyofaa kuliko watu wengine. Jitihada nyingi za kujiua zimepangwa au zimepangwa. Wazee wana uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kufanikiwa wanapojaribu kuua maisha yao. Kwa kweli, mmoja kati ya wazee wanne kwa kawaida hufanikiwa, ambayo ni ya juu kuliko wale wanaojaribu kuchukua maisha yao wakati wa ujana wao. Kama wewe kusikia ya au taarifa ya jaribio, ni muhimu kuingilia kati mara moja. Baadhi ya dalili za kuonya ni ukosefu wa usingizi, ndoto mbaya, kukosa utulivu, na msisimko. Ikiwa unaona kwamba mtu unayempenda anaanza kujitenga zaidi, huenda ikawa wakati mzuri wa kujua kinachotokea. Huenda wakajiuzulu kwa sababu hawataki msaada bali wanataka tu kujitenga na watu wanaowapenda. Yaani, wanataka tu kufa. "Kama ilivyoelezwa na Shirika la Marekani la Msaada wa Ndoa na Familia, ""angalau asilimia 40 ya watu wazee wanajiua kwa sababu ya kukata tamaa kwa siri, ambapo wanaweza kuhisi wamekamatwa na uzoefu mbaya na kuwa na hisia kubwa ya kukosa matumaini.""" Aina hizi za kujiua zinahusiana na kujidharau, kujinyima chakula, kujiondoa maji mwilini, na aksidenti. Baada ya mtu kufa kwa njia ya kujiua, na wapendwa wa mtu huyo kuhojiwa baadaye, wengi husema kwamba hawakuwa na wazo la nia ya mtu huyo. Mara nyingi wao hushtuka na kuhisi hatia sana. "Wanaweza kujiuliza kama kuna ishara ambayo wamekosa au kama kuna kitu ambacho wangeweza kufanya ili kuzuia kitendo hiki kisichoweza kubadilika. """ Ingawa si mara zote kuna dalili za kujiua, hizi ni tabia za kuwa na ufahamu: Nyanya yangu alijaribu kujiua wakati nilikuwa na miaka 10, na hakuna aliyezungumza juu yake hadi miongo mingi baadaye. Ingawa miaka mingi iliyopita, kujiua kulikuwa ni jambo lisilopendekezwa, jambo ambalo halikuzungumziwa sana, leo njia za kuwasiliana zimefunguliwa zaidi, na kuna rasilimali nyingi zaidi kwa ajili ya wale wanaohitaji msaada. "Hii ni baadhi ya mambo ya haraka unaweza kufanya kama wewe ni wasiwasi kuhusu wale katika maisha yako: ""Kama wewe au mtu unayemjua amezungumza juu ya kujiua, tafadhali wito: Kama unaishi katika nchi nyingine yoyote, Google ""kuepuka kujiua"" kwa ajili ya idadi ya sasa." Unajua nini kuhusu kujiua kwa wazee-wazee nchini Marekani? Je, mtu wa ukoo au rafiki wa karibu amejiua? Je, walionyesha ishara zozote ambazo ulitambua tu baada ya tukio hilo? Tafadhali kushiriki na jamii yetu na hebu kuwa na mazungumzo. Vipimo vya Matibabu