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attempt suicide (sorne studies in–
dicate at least 80 percent) either bla–
tantly or subtly indicate their plans
well in advance. A caring friend or
relative who picks up these signals
may make a life-and-death differ–
ence.
How can 1 tell
if
someone is sui–
cida!?
There are many clues .
Although each person's modus op–
erandi differs, here are sorne com–
mon signals :
• Neglect of work or classwork
• Neglect of personal appearance
• Giving away of treasured pos–
sessions
• Premature settling of affairs
(making out wills, updating life in–
surance policies, etc.)
• Loss of appetite- may be ac-
companied by marked weight loss
• Difficulty in concentration
• Withdrawal from society
• Psychosomatic complaints
• lnsomnia
Other symptoms are repressed
anger, sexual anxiety, low self-im–
age or putting down of self in front
of others, irritability, temper out–
bursts, hostility, hallucinations,
hypersensitivity, and despondency
(Life and Health
magazine. June
1975).
Suicida! tendencies among chil–
dren are somewhat harder to detect.
Depression is a possible sign and
The
PLAIN TRUTH February 1978
may manifest itself as hyperactivity,
a failure to make friends, poor
school performance or hypochon–
dria , according to Dr. Peter
Salzman, director of McLean Hos–
pital's Chi ldren 's Center in Bel–
mont , Massachusetts (AP, Dec. 11 ,
1976). Salzman adds that "among
lO-
and 11-year-olds it might show
up as delinquency, vandalism, and
figh ting."
Of course, not everybody who
shows one or more of the above
symptoms is ready to jump off the
nearest bridge. lt's hard to deter–
mine what's going on inside some–
one's head from viewing his
outward appearance. A person may
be under severe stress and still not
feel hopeless about his plight. Ifyou
offer a friendly ear, though, you'll
probably be able to get a feel for
how serious things are and you can
proceed accordingly.
What can 1do to help someone who
is obviously suicida!?
Most who at–
tempt suicide are lonely, and what
they need is not necessarily profes–
sional attention- just a patient, sym–
pathetic individual who willlisten to
their problems nonjudgmentally.
They don't want advice or solutions
at this point in their lives- just a
friendly ear.
From th is standpoint many
people are ill-equipped to deal with
suicide threats. When someone in–
dicates they don' t feel like living
anY.more, there is a tendency to dis–
miss their feelings and sweep such a
threatening problem under the rug.
Even sorne psychiatrists may be un–
comfortable dealing with suicida!
individuals.
Donald Light, speaking to the
American Psychiatric Association ,
said he believes that in many cases
because a psychiatrist "doesn't un–
derstand how to deal with such a
patient, he is uncomfortable with him
and may unconsciously reject him."
And he adds that "rejection
is
a trig–
ger for suicide" (UPI,
M
ay 11, 1974).
Dr. Norman
L.
Farberow, co-di–
rector of the Suicide Prevention
Center in Los Angeles, warns that
"if the suicide threat is greeted by
contempt or derision, the suicida!
tendency increases-not the other
way around " ("Heed Warning
Signs, Prevention Expert Says,"
Los
Angeles Hera/d-Examiner,
Novem–
ber
23,
1975).
Clinical psychologist Paul Pretzel
writes: "People are not driven to
suicide by a caring inquiry as to
whether or not they are suicida!.
They may well be driven to suicide
by an avoidance of the topic on the
part of the listener, from whom they
are wanting a concerned response"
(Continued on page 44)
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