Prevention of Depression and Suicide

Major depressive disorder (MDD) simply known as clinical depression is a psychiatric disorder all over the world. The world health organization (WHO) has been predicted that in 2030 the major cause of mental disability will be depression. They had also stated that every year 1 million people die due to suicide. (depression and suicide prevention, 2020).

The majority of people with illness of depression and other mood disorders carry out suicide. As the reason behind 75% of suicidal deaths is a depression where a person starts to question his life. Let’s have a short review of major types of depression disorders and their effects on a person.

Psychotic depression
A person with a severe psychotic depression experience hallucinations or delusions in which he/she hear voices or see people and objects who didn’t really exist.

Postpartum depression
13% of mothers experience postpartum depression during the time of delivery that effects the mother socially and emotionally. The symptoms usually remain for four weeks after delivery.

Seasonal affective disorder
The type of depression influenced by changing weather and time of year. It is common in areas where people get fewer hours of sunlight, especially in winters. Major symptoms include appetite, sad mood, laziness, and increased sleep.

Dysthymia (PDD)
A person with dysthymia experience a continual low mood, less concentration, low energy or hypersomnia that last longer than 2 years.

How to Prevent Suicide and Depressive Thoughts?

The prevention process starts with recognizing signs and take the warnings seriously. If you think someone around you is considering suicide, there are a variety of ideas and plenty of things you can do for them to prevent depression and save a precious life.

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicide

Many individuals give warning signs of their suicidal intentions. If you observe even once that a person around you are thinking about suicide, you can play a role in prevention by providing them alternatives, by caring for them, giving them positive vibes, involving a therapist, and showing them the beautiful side of life. Major warning signs of suicide include:

• Harming oneself, self-hatred, feeling of guilt or shame
• Talking about killing oneself like I wish I’d be dead
• Continuously writing or talking about dying
• Looking for things like knives, pills or guns that could be useful in attempting suicide
• Getting involved in drugs and weapons
• Saying unusual goodbyes, unexpected calls to parents and friends and showing people as if they
  won’t be seeing them again
• Hopelessness and unusual focus on violence

All these signs get more seriously dangerous when a person is involved in depression and mood disorders. Who suffers a lot from alcohol disorder, or a person with suicidal family history thinks more often of getting rid of his life. The sudden calm in their behavior and sudden happiness after extreme depression shows that they have decided to give up on life.

Tips for Prevention of Depression and Suicide

• Speak up, start a conversation about what is wrong in their life. Say words like I have been concerned about you, I have been observing a different behavior of yours.
• Respond quickly if someone is going through a crisis. If you observe severe suicidal thoughts in a person calls any crisis center and takes the person to the emergency
• Offer support and help. Make them feel that they are not alone and people care about them and love them a lot
• Do everything in your power to provide them a professional help
• Concern a therapist, encourage positive lifestyle, healthy diet, and sleep
• Remove all the harmful tools, medications, and other means of suicide and Continue your support for a long period of time.