There are many perceived ideas about suicide and the myths surrounding it can make the whole area one of emotion and confusion. We have put together a selection of questions and facts that will assist in understanding some aspects of suicide hopelessness and depression.

It is important to understand that each situation is different and in order to develop some awareness of the core issues we need to consider some of the following facts as a starting point in developing knowledge of suicide and in breaking down the taboos associated with talking about it.

Q1. Are there are any warning signs before someone commits suicide?

Fact: There are several warning signs of suicide

    * The recent suicide or death by other means, of a friend or relative.
    * Previous suicide attempts.
    * Always thinking about death or expressing suicidal thoughts.
    * Depression, conduct disorder and problems with adjustment such as substance abuse, particularly when two or more of these are present
    * Giving away prized possessions, making a will or other final arrangements.
    * Major changes in sleep patterns - for example, too much or too little sleep.
    * Sudden and extreme changes such as nervousness, outbursts of anger, impulsive or reckless behaviour, or apathy about appearance or health.
    * Frequent irritability or unexplained crying.
    * Lingering expressions of unworthiness or failure.
    * Lack of interest in the future.
    * A sudden lifting of spirits, when there have been other indicators, may point to a decision to end the pain of life through suicide.

Q2. Do young people who talk about suicide ever complete suicide?

Fact: Talking about suicide can be a plea for help and it can be a late sign in the progression towards a suicide attempt. Those who are most at risk will show other signs apart from talking about suicide.

Q3. If a person attempts suicide and survives, will they make a further attempt?

Fact: A suicide attempt is regarded as an indicator of further attempts. It is likely that the level of danger increases with each suicide attempt.

Q4. Can a person who wants to commit suicide be stopped?

Fact: Suicide CAN be prevented

Q5. Are young people who threaten suicide just seeking attention?

Fact: All suicide attempts must be treated as though the person has the intent to die.

Q6. Will asking someone if they feel suicidal encourage suicide attempts?

Fact: Talking about suicide provides the opportunity for communication and for encouraging a suicidal person to live.

Q7. Are there only certain types of people who are suicidal?

Fact: Everyone has the potential for suicide. The evidence is that predisposing conditions may lead to either attempted or completed suicides.

Q8. Is suicide painless?

Fact: Many suicide methods are very painful. Fictional portrayals of suicide do not usually include the reality of the pain involved.

Q9. Are all suicidal young people depressed?

Fact: While depression is a contributing factor in most suicides, it need not be present for suicide to be attempted or completed.

Q10. Once a person is suicidal, will they remain suicidal forever?

Fact: Most young people who are considering suicide will probably recover and continue to lead meaningful and happy lives unhindered by suicidal concerns.

Q11. If there is a sudden improvement of well-being of the suicidal young person, does this mean they will be ok?

Fact: The opposite may be true. In the three months following an attempt, a young person is at most risk of completing suicide. The person may have made a firm decision to suicide and feels better because of this.

Q12. Can a suicidal young person help themselves?

Fact: Whilst contemplating suicide, young people may have a distorted perception of their actual life situation and what solutions are appropriate for them to take. However, with support and constructive assistance from caring and informed people around them, young people can gain full self-direction and self-management in their lives.

Q13. Can family and friends help a suicidal person?

Fact: All people who interact with suicidal people can help them by way of emotional support and encouragement. Professionals, such as counselors, priests, psychologists, rely heavily on family, and friends to provide a network of support.

Q14. Do suicidal young people ever seek or ask for help?

Fact: Evidence shows that they often tell their school peers of their thoughts and plans. Most suicidal adults visit a medical doctor during the three months prior to killing themselves. Adolescents are more likely to 'ask' for help through non-verbal gestures than to express their situation verbally to others.

Q15. Does a suicidal person resent people that try to help them?

Fact: While it is common for young people to be defensive and resist help at first, these behaviors are often barriers imposed to test how much people care and are prepared to help. For most adolescents considering suicide, it is a relief to have someone genuinely care about them and to be able to share the emotional burden of their plight with another person. When questioned some time later the vast majority express gratitude for the intervention.

Q16. Can break-ups in relationships, precipitate suicide?

Fact: Suicide CAN be precipitated by the loss of a relationship.

Q17. Are suicidal young people crazy?

Fact: Although suicidal adolescents are likely to be extremely unhappy and may be classified as having a mood disorder, such as depression, most are not legally insane.

Q18. When do most suicides occur?

Fact: Seasonal variation data are essentially based on adult suicides, with limited adolescent data available. However, it seems adolescent suicidal behaviour is most common during the spring and early summer months.

Q19. Are young people in lower socioeconomic (SES) status areas at a higher risk of committing suicide?

Fact: The causes of suicidal behaviour cut across SES boundaries. While the literature in the area is incomplete, there is no definitive link between SES and suicide. This does not preclude localised tendencies nor trends in a population during a certain period of time.

Asking the difficult questions to find out whether someone is suicidal.

The Questions:

1. Are you thinking of harming yourself?
2. Do you want to stop living?
3. Are you thinking of hurting yourself?
4. Do you want to commit suicide?
5. Have you thought about taking your life away?

The Plan:

1. Do you have a plan?
2. Have you thought about how you would do it?
3. Tell me what would be involved?
4. What would happen if you did it?

The Action:

1. Do you have access to a gun/weapon?
2. Do you have sleeping tablets or other drugs?
3. Do you have a rope to hang yourself?
4. What do you have?

Statistics (young people aged 12 to 17)

Research released recently (Child Death Review Team) found that between 1996 and 2000, 187 children and young people died from suicide and risk-taking behaviour.

Almost two-thirds of the children (124 of 187) experienced significant long-term difficulties, sometimes lasting many years, which caused severe emotional distress. These difficulties included mental health problems, unbearable family situations and school-related difficulties.

Twenty-six young people (14% of fatalities) died following a pivotal, life-changing event, predominantly a relationship breakdown, an argument with a partner or the death of a significant person.

Another common theme in the deaths of some of the young people was that they felt they could not conform to narrow stereotypes or could not meet academic expectations.

Ms Gillian Calvert, Commissioner for Children and Young people and Convenor of the Child Death Review Team, said "Some of the children who died were the targets of bullying or had intense feelings of worthlessness because they didn't fit in and blamed themselves for their situation".

Twenty-eight children (15% of fatalities) died as a result of adolescent experimentation, which predominantly involved alcohol or drug use and dangerous driving. None of the young people who died in this way were chronic substance users.

Ms Calvert also said, "while there is a tendency to view experimentation as a 'normal' part of growing up, the study shows that this behaviour can have fatal consequences, especially for males, who made up almost all deaths in this group".

Although males make up almost all the successful suicides, the number of attempts (although unsuccessful) are by females.