When you hear the word “suicide”, what comes to mind?

When you hear the word “suicide”, what comes to mind? Are you filled with fear that this will happen to someone you know? Are you worried others will judge you if you share that you are having suicidal thoughts? Are you concerned and want to help but don’t know where to start?

Whatever you are thinking – you are not alone. Suicide is a complex problem that brings up a lot of emotions for many of us. In this article, we will go through some myths and facts about suicide to help address some of the feelings and beliefs around this topic.

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Myth: We shouldn’t talk about suicide because it’s not appropriate to discuss.

Fact: Suicide is something we can and should talk about with anyone whom we care about – whether it’s our families, friends, or the broader Jamat. However, it may not be easy to discuss. Suicide often carries a lot of stigma and shame within the Jamat. We might be afraid to talk about it because we don’t know what to say, or because we are worried others will judge us if we are having suicidal thoughts. However, giving into the stigma means that people within the Jamat who are having thoughts of suicide will feel less comfortable reaching out for help.

Myth: Suicide is impossible to predict before it happens.

Fact: Suicide may come with no warning, but sometimes signs may be present. Here are a few examples:

• Talking about suicide or death — e.g. saying "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born."
• Making a plan — Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills.
• Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation.
• Changing normal routines — e.g. eating or sleeping more or less, withdrawing from social contact, increasing use of alcohol or drugs, stopping their routine of going to Jamatkhana often.
• Doing risky or self-destructive things — e.g. using a lot of drugs or driving recklessly.
• Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there isn’t another reason for doing this; saying goodbye to people as if they won't be seen again.

Myth: Asking someone about suicide might make them start thinking about it.

Fact: If someone is not already thinking about suicide, talking about it does not necessarily make them start considering it. Suicidal ideation is usually driven by some underlying circumstances such as a challenging life transition, a traumatic experience, a mental health condition, or anything else that can cause someone pain.

If you suspect someone in your life is considering suicide, you should talk to them about how they’re feeling lately and gently ask them if they are thinking about suicide. Even if they say no, it shows them that you are open to talking about this topic if they are struggling in the future. By talking about suicide, you can help encourage someone to get help

Myth: People who take their own lives are selfish or weak.

Fact: People do not die of suicide by choice. Often, people who die by suicide are feeling deep emotional pain and a sense of hopelessness, which makes it difficult for them to see a way out of their situation. Often, these people have already been battling these suicidal thoughts for a long time and have shown great strength in how they continue persevering.

Myth: Young people are the most at risk for suicide.

Fact: While youth are at risk for suicide, they are not the only ones – or even the ones most at risk. Instead, the age group of 50 to 64 is the most at risk for dying by suicide. Though particular groups may be at higher risk, suicide is a problem among all ages and groups.

Myth: If someone wants to die by suicide, there is nothing I can do to help.

Fact: While there are limits to what you can do, there are still steps you can take to support someone who is thinking about suicide. You can help by:

• Noticing the warning signs
• Talking to the person calmly and kindly about what you’ve noticed and asking if they are thinking about suicide
• Encouraging them to reach out for help. If they share that they are actively thinking about suicide and planning to act on it, you should help them call for support right away, such as from a crisis line or 911.

To learn more about how to help prevent suicide, consider taking LivingWorks Start, the 90-minute online interactive course, for $39.95.

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If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide and are looking for help, you can reach out to Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566 (or text 45645 from 4pm to midnight ET).

If you are looking to learn more about suicide prevention, check out the following resources:

• Hope by CAMH is a free smartphone app that provides suicide prevention information, tools and crisis resources to support and guide individuals when they are experiencing thoughts of suicide. One of the key features of this app is the ability for individuals to create a personalized suicide safety plan.
• LivingWorks Start, a 90-minute online interactive course that teaches you how to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide and connect them to help and support, including practical simulations.
• Talk Suicide has various resources to help you understand suicide, including facts, risk factors, and other resources.