COVID-19 and Suicide Risk

March 26, 2021 Delainne B.

According to the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 (coronavirus), you may experience anxiety, fear, frustration, sadness and loneliness as a result of the COVID-19 infection or struggles with the chronic Long COVID (PASC) many are experiencing. Some may find that those feelings become constant and overwhelming. Existing mental health conditions, including severe anxiety and major depression, may worsen. If you are feeling hopeless and having thoughts about suicide, below are resources to find help and restore hope.

If you are concerned about someone else, or if someone has made a threat of suicide, seek help immediately using the resources listed below. Take every suicide threat seriously, because this is always a cry for help.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a division of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), In 2019:

12 million adults had serious thoughts of suicide.
- Most frequently young adults aged 18-25 (11.8%).
3.5 million adults made suicide plans.
1.4 million adults attempted suicide.
- Most frequently amongst young adults 18-25 (1.8%).
1.2 million adults made plans and attempted suicide.
217,000 adults made no plans and attempted suicide.
Women plan suicide more frequently than men.
Men commit suicide more frequently than women.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and their Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), in 2019:

Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 47,511 people.
Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34.

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United States Resources:

US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

CDC - Preventing Suicidal Behavior in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Health Equity Issue

International Resources:

In the majority of cases, people who are feeling suicidal are dealing with conditions that will pass in time if only they can get the help that they need. In the meantime, there is much that friends and family members can do to help people who are depressed or contemplating suicide.

Know the Signs

Prevention first involves being able to recognize the warning signs of suicide, which can include:1

Extreme mood swings
Feelings of hopelessness
Giving away possessions
Losing interest in activities
Talking about death or suicide
Saying goodbye to family and friends
Saying that they are a burden
Withdrawing from friends and family

How to help someone you think or know is suicidal

You know a friend is depressed and needs help but doesn't seem to respond when friends try to help. The problem is that whether you notice a distinct change in behavior or not, no one wants to admit that a good friend or family member may be contemplating suicide--ending their own life. Another issue is that you just don't know how to handle it. When your friend thinks that suicide is the only option, it may be because they have tried to reach out but feels that no one is receptive. The problem may seem petty to you, but it is obviously immense to them. Make sure that you empathize, and don't negate their feelings in any way.

How you can best help this person at this point? What strategies will help someone who seems to be thinking about suicide realize that there are better ways to cope with even the most difficult problems? Are there some tips to helping her get back to the happy, vivacious friend she was? Most people don't want to meddle. When someone is obviously feeling down about something, most will try to lift their spirits but back off if their efforts are rejected. Although it is wise to honor another person's wishes, if they seem to be thinking about suicide, you need to intervene, or step in and help. But, how?

Most people don't want to pry into someone else's inner life. But your friend is in need of someone to talk to. Don't let your fear overcome the need to ask about their thoughts of suicide. Help them find professional support.

Professional counselors realize that what most people need is someone to listen without an agenda or opinion. It's best to actively listen by asking questions and using empathy to understand what your friend is going through.Talk to them about seeing someone who may be able to help her more than you can. A professional such as a school counselor, a therapist, a pastor…someone who has experience with this issue and can provide help.

Don't Discount Their Feelings

While you may think that their problems aren't serious enough to warrant suicidal thoughts or behaviors, what really matters is how serious they perceive them to be. If it feels important to them, then, in their mind, suicide may seem like a valid option.

Make sure that you treat your friend like you would want to be treated. Your friend needs your support right now, not your judgment. They needs someone who will actively listen and needs to be guided toward a professional who can help.

Listen to what they are saying without offering judgments. Don't be dismissive of their experiences or emotions.

Most importantly, never dismiss suicidal talk or threats. If a person is making comments that seem to indicate that they are depressed or thinking of taking their own life, you should always take them seriously.

Look at Suicide as a Cry for Help

When a person attempts suicide, this isn't necessarily a sign that they want to die. Instead, it's an indicator that they are in great emotional pain, but don't know how to deal with it. Suicide has started to look like their only option to escape a situation that they don't know how to handle.

If they are still alive, however, they are desperately seeking an alternative to death and attempting suicide may be their way of reaching out and saying that they need help.

Be a Good Listener

Being able to talk with a caring friend and unburden yourself from your troubles can go a long way in relieving the unbearable build-up of pressure that can lead to a suicide attempt.

Being a good listener doesn't require any special skills. Be patient and accepting, but avoid getting into an argument or trying to offer simplistic solutions.

Avoid any "Have you tried X, Y, or Z" comments that focus on quick "fixes." Such attempts might come off as insensitive and seem to trivialize what a person is experiencing. Simply be there and show that you care.

Encourage Them to Get Help

Even though some suicides may seem to come out of the blue, it's quite likely that the person had been depressed for a very long time.4

Getting prompt professional assistance at the first signs of depression is a very important step in preventing suicide.

Working to take away the stigma around depression and encouraging people who are hurting to get the help that they need right away can go a long way in saving lives because the problem is dealt with before it gets too bad.5

Ask About Their Suicidal Feelings

While you may be afraid to bring up the topic of suicide for fear of giving them ideas, the fact is that those thoughts and feelings are there regardless of what you might say. What you are really doing by bringing the topic up is giving them an opportunity to open up to you and allow you help them.

Don't Leave Them Alone

If they seem to be in imminent danger of hurting themselves, do not leave them alone. Take steps to get them away from any means that they could use to hurt themselves, such as weapons or pills.

Call 911, 988, or another emergency number for assistance if need be or offer to transport them to the hospital.

Encourage Them to See a Professional

It may take some patience and persistence but urge them to make an appointment with a mental health professional. Once they have made the appointment, continue to maintain contact in order to encourage them to follow through with appointments and treatment plans.

There are also mental health organizations you can reach out to for more information.

Know That Secrets Can Kill

If the person asks you to not tell anyone, be aware that you may have to break your promise in order to help them. Having your friend or loved one alive but angry with you is preferable to keeping a promise that leads to them taking their life.

Keep moving, keep breathing!

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