#POLLY If you’re thinking about suicide, please read Are You Feeling Suicidal?, call 988 in the U.S., or find a suicide helpline in your country at IASP or Suicide.org. Understanding suicide The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1 million people die each year from suicide. What drives so many individuals to take their own lives? To those who are not in the grips of suicidal depression and despair, it’s difficult to understand what drives so many individuals to take their own lives. But a suicidal person is in so much pain that they can see no other option. Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. Blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, a suicidal person can’t see any way of finding relief except through death. But despite their desire for the pain to stop, most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives. They wish there was an alternative to suicide, but they just can’t see one. Common misconceptions about suicide Myth: People who talk about suicide won’t really do it. Fact: Almost everyone who attempts suicide has given some clue or warning. Don’t ignore even indirect references to death or suicide. Statements like “You’ll be sorry when I’m gone,” “I can’t see any way out,”—no matter how casually or jokingly said—may indicate serious suicidal feelings. Myth: Anyone who tries to kill themselves must be crazy. Fact: Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane. They are upset, grief-stricken, depressed, or despairing, but extreme distress and emotional pain are not necessarily signs of mental illness. Myth: If someone is determined to kill themselves, nothing is going to stop them. Fact: Even a very severely depressed person has mixed feelings about death, fluctuating between wanting to live and wanting to die. Rather than wanting death, they just want the pain to stop—and the impulse to end their life does not last forever. Myth: People who die by suicide are people who were unwilling to seek help. Fact: Many people try to get help before attempting suicide. In fact, studies indicate that more than 50 percent of suicide victims had sought medical help in the six months prior to their deaths. Myth: Talking about suicide may give someone the idea. Fact: You don’t give someone suicidal ideas by talking about suicide. Rather, the opposite is true. Talking openly and honestly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can help save a life. #ILOVETEABAGAELLAANDSARAH #FYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP #DONTLETTHISFLOP #DOGCOMMUNITY - @st4r.dawgs