REASONS PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE

When we hear that a person has committed suicide, most of us do not understand why. To most people who have never contemplated such an action, it is confusing why anyone would give up on living and choose such a route as a way out.

For those who have, at some point or the other in their lives, contemplated suicide, they wonder why the person, who has committed suicide could not just hold on like they did.

Some people cannot, for the life of them, understand why someone would go to such extreme because life is difficult and everybody has issues. It is not uncommon to find people saying that people who commit suicide are selfish and self-centred.

There are different things that make people suicidal but some are easier to fix than others. For example, people who have medical issues such as thyroid problems, brain-related diseases and reactions to medication, might experience suicidal thoughts due to their medical condition. Such factors are easier to deal with because they have more direct diagnoses and treatments.

While it is okay to disagree with people using suicide as an escape route, it isn’t wrong to empathise with the reasons most people have for thinking of choosing such extreme routes.

The following are common reasons why people commit suicide:

DEPRESSION

Depression: over the past couple of decades, this has been the most common cause of suicides around the world. Some people might get depressed and feel better after a while but extreme cases of depression cause the feeling of suffering and hopelessness that is harder to shake off. Very often, depressed people start to think that people will be happier if they are absent and this pushes them towards committing suicide.

The problem with cases of depression and suicide in countries like Nigeria is that too many people believe such things happen to only “white people”. As such, when people around us are depressed or having suicidal thoughts, they are not taken seriously. The incidences of rape across Nigeria have shown that suicide and depression are not, after all, issues common to non-Nigerians alone.

Depression can be treated, but most times, people suffering from it shut everyone out and those who want to end their lives plan to do so very quietly so people might not notice. It is important to pay close attention to those around us in the event that there are signs. While it might be a little awkward, talking to them is a good step because quite often, if asked (not talked at, accused or judged) about it, depressed people contemplating suicide are willing to talk about it.

Impulsive substance abuse: whether it is alcohol or drugs, some substance abusers become impulsively suicidal when they are drunk or high. Such people usually feel bad and embarrassed about their actions once they are sober but might exhibit the same tendencies when next they are depressed or upset about something. Studies have shown that the best way to handle such issues involves investigating the causes of their substance abuse and trying to help them overcome the urges to go overboard.

SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia: this is a form of psychosis and people suffering from such disorders often experience voices in their heads telling them to do certain things, whether or not those things are within reason. Unlike depression, psychosis is easier to notice because the sufferer will talk to themselves, trying to communicate with the voice they are hearing. People with psychosis are usually honest about what’s going on in their heads and their thoughts about suicide, when they are asked. To help them in the period when these voices start to interfere with their everyday performance, psychotic people are usually placed on admission in clinics until they are able to deal with those voices properly.

Trying to get the attention of certain people and making the mistake of going too far: in some instances, people contemplate suicide when they don’t know how else to communicate something that’s wrong to those around them. Sometimes, they think about ways to kill themselves and make feeble attempts to get the attention they seek. The problem with such measures, however, lies in the fact that sometimes, these people make mistakes that usually end up with them losing their lives.

When you find out that someone is contemplating or has contemplated suicide, it is important to sit with them and let them talk about the problem. Most people get to that point because they feel no one is listening or because they don’t know who to talk to about their thoughts without the fear of being judged. Letting them talk about what’s wrong removes their mind from suicide and puts their mind on what exactly the problem is and what to do about it.