When you can't tell someone is suicidal?

Question

Cutting is usually a cry for help, and people tend to cut in places that can be seen. But what about the people who cut where you can't see? Or people who don't even give hints that they are suicidal? I had a friend a few years back in high school; I mostly talked to him for only about a year since we had a class together and that's the only time I ever really saw him. He seemed pretty happy actually. A couple years later I visit that class and I see his picture on the wall---in memory of---and a eulogy under it. He had just committed suicide roughly a couple weeks before, and nobody ever saw it coming. One day he just disappeared, and after a long search was done his body was found several miles away from home.

My question is, how do we stop things like this from happening? What can we look for? Sometimes you can't tell when someone is suicidal, I've known two people in my life who seemed perfectly happy with their lives and had plenty of friends and things to look forward to, but yet they ended their lives without anyone seeing it coming, not even people close to them.....

Answer 1

Ask them these questions

Who was your favorite cereal character?

Tony the tiger - never even considered suicide

Captain crunch - thought about it once, then figured its better living

that coco puffs..... thing- debating whether or not to commit suicide

Count chocula- suicidal definitley

Who is your favorite relative?

Uncle- not suicidal

aunt- suicidal

mom- not suicidal

dad- suicidal

grandparents - DEFINATLEY suicidal

Answer 2

In my opinion, there are life that you can't save. Should you be overly saddened because suicide was the only way out for someone? When that's the only way that they can be relieved or satisfied?

Even though I have made the above statement, I still try to save those who are suicidal around me including my roommate.

Usually I wouldn't let it happen. I let people feel like they are needed and cared. I let them know there are hopes. For those who are happy and satisfied (the case that you presented), I let them know that the world is too big for them to be settled in satisfaction. There are many things and challenges can be overcome. Nothing is boring a trite if he/she tries, and I will perform the try with them.

If I see someone's attempting suicide, I will still instinctively try to prevent it. But if there's nothing I can do about it, then I will bring flowers for them.

By the way, you seems a little different today than yesterday. Are you feeling better today?

Answer 3

I would come right out and ask someone that I felt might be suicidal. Sometimes people will talk to you and tell you things when you ask them. I guess if you don't know the person then you might not have a clue what to look for but if you did know the person then maybe you could see if they are changing drastically or something of this sort, Do they stay clean, are they happy, Do they talk down about themselfs, Do they talk about ways to die, are they giving all thier stuff away? I would think that these are some things to look for.Because these are signs that a person is not really that happy. Ask if the person has lost interest in something that they love to do? And I would certainly say if this person loves someone and they don't want to see thier loved ones anymore then I might think that something is wrong with the person of concern then. hope I helped some. Have a blessed day.

Answer 4

Very difficult to notice, because all people have problems and pains that they can not explain.  Or even admit too. It makes them, in their own eyes, look less than the next person.  And in teenagers it is even worse, the peer pressure being exerted on them is horrible.  The best indicator that something is wrong, is when their behavior is much older than their actual age. Example: a 13 year old that wants to have kids.

Eating 'grown up' food. Going out late nights. Those tiny in perceptual differences from the norm. And they are plenty full and not very obvious.

Strength & Peace.