Psychologist A. Mockus: how to recognize suicidal behavior? The | Lifetime



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The signals are not always easy to detect

As explained 15 minutes Said by a psychologist, suicide attempt is considered suicide attempt or suicide. According to him, the change in behavior of a loved one can warn about the psychological suffering he is experiencing. When should you be alarmed?

According to A. Mockus, if a person close to you has suddenly changed, for example, started consuming more alcohol or started behaving in a risky way, this may be a sign that it is worth seeking help. However, the signals are not always easy to detect.

“Often,” he added, “a person who thinks about suicide is distancing himself from others and avoids communication, no longer engages in activities that he previously enjoyed, and sometimes behaves like saying goodbye: pay old debts, apologizes, visits loved ones. ” You should also take unintentional and sometimes deliberate phrases like “my life is meaningless”, “it’s easier for you without me” or something like that.

Photo from 123RF.com/ Suicide Thoughts

Photo from 123RF.com/ Suicide Thoughts

In the words of a psychologist, such suggestions are a kind of cry for help not to be missed. According to A. Mockus, people with suicidal behavior generally experience two feelings: they want to live, but the psychological pain is so strong that suicide seems to be the only way out.

Don’t be afraid to ask, “Are you thinking about suicide?”

When asked what to do when he suspected that a person was thinking of committing suicide, the psychologist advised openly asking the person. According to him, many avoid this question because they do not know what to do after hearing a positive answer. Others are afraid to encourage suicide, but based on the interviewee’s experience, the opposite is true: an open conversation is the first and very important step towards help.

Listen and don’t condemn, but let them speak, support.

“Listen and don’t condemn, but let them talk, I support. Sometimes family members who hear a positive answer to a question give up anxiety and rush to find quick solutions without even delving into the problem, and there is no need to rush. What is really worth doing is requesting free professional help from a mental health center, “advised A. Mockus.

According to him, not everyone knows where to look for help, so it is very important to help find and sometimes accompany. As noted by the psychologist, consult with helpful professionals who have suicidal thoughts about loved ones. Lots of useful information about counseling options can be found on websites. www.tuesi.lt and www.pagalbasau.lt.

You can learn how to communicate and help family members who are suffering with the free SafeTalk and ASIST training organized by the Offices of Public Health.

There are many reasons

15 minutes When asked about the causes of suicidal behavior, psychologist A. Mockus emphasized that, although it may be related to mental disorders, it is far from always being the case. “Mental disorders,” he said, “do not explain the reasons for this behavior.”

According to him, there is no single factor that can explain suicidal behavior. Research suggests that education, or more precisely, harmful perfectionism introduced by parents, may play a role. When a child has too high expectations constantly, as he grows up, he is likely to try to fulfill a certain ideal, and each failure will pass very painfully.

“A person is looking for a way to escape psychological pain, but he does not see another way out because he is experiencing despair. Imagine that you live in such terrible suffering every day … Some people lose hope, so it is very important to motivate and show that there is a way out, so it is important to look for it together, “said A. Mockus.

Like physical health, mental health must be strengthened.

15 minutes According to the interviewee, the stigma of mental health is lower in the largest cities of Lithuania, therefore, more people decide to seek help, but certain stereotypes in the province are still quite strong. The stigma, according to him, can be double: public, when there is a fear of condemnation of the environment, and internal, when a person underestimates himself due to psychological problems.

According to him, when it comes to suicidal behavior, prevention plays an important role: “We should talk about strengthening psychological resilience,” he said, explaining in more detail that it is a type of skill that helps to overcome and recover from psychological challenges. According to him, a good example is the announced quarantine in the country. The more emotionally resistant people experience this situation more easily, and those who do not have such coping methods, more difficult to adapt to a new situation, experience stress.

Regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease, but did you know that it is also a way to take care of mental health?

The old truth is that regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease, but did you know that it is also a way to take care of mental health? When asked what each of us can do to avoid psychological difficulties in the future, and perhaps even suicidal behavior, the psychologist advised, above all, to move more and live more actively. There’s no need to sweat in the gym, just go outside more often, walk, bike, or discover another activity you enjoy. Also, according to him, it is no less important to learn to know his feelings and talk about it.

“To strengthen the sense of control,” psychologist A. Mockus also advised, “distinguish between what I can change and what I cannot.” Understand that I control my own life. No one has taught us all that, so today we have to learn to resolve conflicts, talk about relationships, learn to recognize feelings. “



Choose Life ”: a 15-minute content project funded by the State Public Health Promotion Fund.



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