Newswise — Going to college is exciting for many, but for others it’s a time of hopelessness, and the result can be deadly. Every 100 minutes a teenager will commit suicide. And suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 14 and 25 in the United States.
Wichita State University psychologist Maureen Dasey-Morales said some warning signs are withdrawal from others and from activities, moodiness, making a plan to hurt oneself, increasing use of alcohol and drugs, expressing a wish to die or to go away, and impulsivity.
“One of the biggest myths about suicide is that asking somebody if they’re thinking about hurting themselves will increase the risk of it happening,” said Dasey-Morales. “And in fact, asking is one of the main things somebody can do to prevent suicide from happening.”
She said another myth is that someone who is thinking about hurting themselves is somehow weak or selfish. “The reality is that most people who are thinking about hurting themselves feel like others would be better off without them or that somehow there isn’t a way out for them, and so part of helping them is to instill hope,” said Dasey-Morales.
For someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts, Dasey-Morales said, the most important thing is for them to know that there are options, even if they don’t see it. She said no one has to struggle with suicidal thoughts by themselves, that everyone who struggles with this needs help and there’s no shame or weakness in getting that help.
Audio comments by Dasey-Morales are available at www.wichita.edu/newsline.
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