Death by suicide is a tragedy. A soul-crushing surprise, leaving loved ones, friends and family not only mourning the shocking death but also prediction and prevention are fraught with difficulty.
Deciding whether or not life is worth living is the life-and-death most essential human problem of whether and how to live. Is there such a thing as a life not worth living? Or is it normal to think about suicide as part of a human right and a relief whenever one feels depressed?
Determining quality of life is indeed an extremely difficult practice in human history. And for some people the seemingly logical conclusion is through suicide. One might argue that suicide is neither a question nor a problem, but an act.
It is considered selfish, but it’s a cry for help, and what help is out there? Speaking your pain and finding somebody who can be with you and just listen are of course challenging. However, it is what needs to transpire. Death by suicide is often unexpected and frequently violent. The loss of the violent death is a highly traumatic aftermath, both for family and a communal tragedy.
There are some powerful factors that have drastically proven to the leading cause of suicide. WHO’s World Health Statistics 2018 bring together suicidal data which draw about 800,000 people die due to suicide every year that equals to one person every 40 seconds. The most cited risk factors for suicide include mental illness, genetics and substance abuse from family or society.
A diagnosis of mental illness elevates a person’s suicidal behavior. Mental illness is normal. It is normal because it has long existed with humankind from its earliest history. Now of course, on one level, it is obviously abnormal.
Everyone is a bit mentally sick, and that is accurate to say. However, it is about how we diverge from the zero point, way too far, way too back or living on axis of imaginary scale wholly. Being absolutely zero of having no mental illness is actually an illness by itself.
A series of mental illness involve feelings, thoughts, behaviors and perceptions that are different to every day experience of most people. And, here’s the thing; if we agree that mental illness is a normal part of human life, then we should accept it rather than fear it. To understand and admit mental illness in this way is in contrast with what-so-called normal in today’s society. Stigma, shame and isolation are several conditions set death by suicide from a suicidal person. Suicidal thoughts or behaviors are both mutilating and threatening and therefore considered a psychiatric emergency.
How can you help yourself?
We realise that any type of mental illness does have deep needs for affection and rehabilitation. Simply put, the sickness exists, and people with mental illness should be accepted, loved and treated as human. If you are in crisis, seek help. There are plenty options to help you cope. This involves find individual counseling and professional therapists. They will help you make sense of the death and better understanding any psychiatric problems the deceased may have had. They will also treat you with medication if you’re experiencing chronic disorders. Helpful resources for suicide prevention are available at Sanatorium Dharmawangsa and Department of Psychiatry, RSUPN Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo.
Another way to help yourself is find hope through a wide variety of support groups and organisations to be particularly helpful. Here in Jakarta, you can join Into the Light, a community engagement that concerns on preventing suicide across the lifespan. Carrying the motto Clear Stigma, Care for Others, Love the Soul, the community recently held an event Light a Candle as part of the celebration of the World Suicide Prevention Day. Founder Benny Prawira said that the loss through suicide is like no other, and grieving can be dramatically complex and deeply traumatic. “It is the space of shared experience that we find so valuable, and we are here to prevent suicide and to be there for whoever needs help.”
