Depression and suicide

introduction

With depression, the person affected is usually overly depressed, depressed, and joyless. Some people also feel a so-called "emptiness".

If there is a lack of positive self-assessment, people with depression can also meet other people without love. A feeling of guilt or worthlessness can take away all hope. You appear tired and listless.
Therefore, the rest of life often seems unbearable to them, so that they see suicide as a last resort.

Aggression against other people who are not expressed can result in self-aggression. Suicide is understood as the self-chosen, deliberate suicide / suicide.

What is the risk of suicide with depression?

Around 15% of the population suffers from depression that requires treatment at least once in their life. That means every sixth to seventh. Despite a more open and enlightened approach with regard to the social recognition of mental illnesses, there is still a high number of unreported cases.

This is mainly due to the fact that some people, full of shame, do not want to talk about their hopelessness and lack of prospects. Doctors, too, often miss their patients' depression.
In addition to many causes, one of the reasons for an increased risk of suicide is the existence of a mental illness such as depression. This alone results in around 10,000 suicides per year in Germany, according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. A considerably higher number results from most of the previous suicide attempts.

Presumably 5 to 100 suicide attempts can be assumed for a completed suicide. If one compares the number of suicides with road deaths, it can be assumed that twice as many suicides result from road accidents.

It is one of the most common causes of death in Germany. Nevertheless, the number of suicides has only decreased very slowly since 1980, which is probably due to better medical care after an attempt has already taken place.

Read more on the subject at:

  • My partner is depressed
  • Signs of depression

How should relatives deal with suicidal thoughts

Family members play an important role in caring for a person with suicidal thoughts. They are often the first people to hear about any thought and are the first point of contact.
In any case, every single suicidal thought and its announcement must be taken seriously.

Offering a conversation that should be conducted as neutrally as possible on the part of the family member can take away an initial urge for the person concerned. In this conversation, the suicide should be talked about specifically. This can be done in an indirect way, e.g. by asking: "What do you mean that life is meaningless?"

A direct way is also legitimate, in which one can ask: "Are you thinking of wanting to kill yourself?" Appeasement or dismissal is dangerous and counterproductive.

It should be noted that the family member himself may be part of the problem, in the eyes of the person concerned. It is therefore important to consult a doctor in any case, as suicidal thoughts are always self-endangering intentions. The trained doctor can initiate further necessary measures and assess the severity of the current condition. The contact person can be a psychiatrist, but also any other doctor, such as the family doctor. In urgent cases, the rescue service can be called in.

Further information:

  • Thoughts of suicide- what to do as a relative
  • Causes of depression

How do I deal with Suzid thoughts myself?

If I have had recurring thoughts of suicide in the last few days or weeks and have no longer excluded the possibility of suicide, I should turn to other people with my problem.
The way out of the recurring thoughts can only succeed with other people. Every contact person that comes to mind is imaginable.

For example, people close to me often like to stand up for me. Knowing well, contact with relatives or close people is always a hurdle. In addition to the family, it can also be friends or acquaintances whom I trust in a special way. If I am alone, or if I have too little trust in my immediate surroundings, some other people I talk to can help me.
Any help is allowed.

If I need help in a personal conversation, I should primarily name medically trained people, such as doctors, psychologists, in hospitals and medical practices. Here I can be sure that what is said remains between me and the other person.
The offer of the self-help group enables me to distance myself from my suicidal thoughts and to be understood by others affected and to receive advice.

If I have more trust in pastors, rabbis, imams or other people who represent my religion, they are also conceivable contacts. These are subject to pastoral care.

I can contact the telephone counseling service anonymously via phone, chat or email. This is free of charge and the number does not appear on the phone bill.

In any case, it is worth strengthening your relationship with your fellow human beings, as mental illness often leads to social isolation.

You might also be interested in this topic:

  • Therapy for depression
  • Light therapy for depression

What can be the signs of impending suicide?

In most cases, signs of impending suicide are seen in behavioral changes. Here, in general and in the context of depression, the withdrawal of people from their environment can be seen.

The person concerned often feels lonely and wants to be alone. Accompanying this can also be seen aggression towards relatives, which is often silent. This means that some of these are not brought up.
In the further course, the person at risk of suicide finally directs the aggression towards his fellow human beings and relatives on himself.

Further signs of suicide can be statements about the futility of life. Accompanying this, specific plans of an attempted suicide can be mentioned and the idea of ​​recovery after death can be articulated.
In the context of depression, the person affected also reports impulses that trigger the urge to commit suicide.

For example, confrontation with a loved one. People who are under drug treatment due to their depression can show performance-enhancing behavior despite their underlying depression. This shows a very strong will to really want to implement wishes and ideas. In addition, the thoughts of the individual about the time after death, can induce people to give away objects, or to find a settlement through drawing up a will.

More on this in our article: What can be signs of suicide?

Can scratches be a sign of imminent suicide?

Scratching, or self-harm, is common in teenagers. Usually the deliberately inflicted injuries to the body surface are not a direct indication of suicidality.

However, relatives, especially parents, should pay attention, as the scratching is often to be seen as a signal of an underlying mental illness. Most people report a hopeless situation and feel worthless in their life.
Dealing with feelings is difficult for those affected. Therefore, self-harm is primarily seen as a way of debilitating negative feelings and relieving internal pressures.

Due to the self-revealing act of scratching, professional support should be called in immediately in order to diagnose the psychological cause at an early stage and to take remedial action.

Read our article on this: Symptoms of borderline syndrome