Suicide
The pressing issue that I am covering in this blog post is Suicide. Suicide is considered a very taboo topic in Singapore and also in Asian culture, because of that it is not really talked about in social conversations with others and therefore there is a need to raise awareness on this topic. 
I hope that after reading this blog post, you become more knowledgeable and share this with others to help raise awareness on Suicide.
What is Suicide
Suicide is death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die. A Suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves with any intent to end their life, but they do not die as a result of their actions
Why do people suicide or attempt to
This is due to various reasons such as:
- Mental Illness
- Traumatic stress
- Substance use and Impulsivity
- Loss of fear of loss
- Hopelessness
- Chronic pain and illness
- Feeling like a burden to others
- Social Isolation
- Accidental Suicide
These reasons of a combination of them could be the reason why they would commit suicide. Take note that these may be only some of the reasons why a person may take their own life.
Suicide on a national and global scale
In Singapore:
- , Suicide is the leading cause of death aged from 10-29
- There are 3 times more deaths from suicide than transport accidents in 2019
- 400 lives were lost to suicide in 2019
- Males account for more than 66% of all suicides in 2019
- For every suicide, at least 6 suicide survivors are left behind around 2400 attempted suicide in 2019
Globally:
- Close to 800,000 people die from suicide every year, that is one person in 40 seconds and an entire class of 33 students in 22 minutes
- Suicide is the 15th leading cause of death in 2017. More people die from suicide than homicide
- Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young people
- The suicide rate for men is twice as high as for women
A map of the share of deaths from suicide in 2017
Since suicide is so serious why is it not talked about more?
This phenomenon is due to two reasons. Social Stigma and Copycat Suicide
Social stigma against Mental Health and Illness
Research has shown that there is a stigma attached to mental illness. Due to this stigma, indivuals may resist 'labelling, and be driven to respond to mental health diagnoses with denialism. Family caregivers of individuals with mental disorders may also face discrimination of face stigma. Also because of this associated stigma people often do not talk about it in social conversations, let alone talk about suicide.
People with poor mental health or with mental illness tend to not talk about their plight and keep to themselves, it is because of this bottling up of issues that can cause it to explode in the form of attempting or committing suicide.
Copycat Suicide
Copycat suicide is defined as an emulation of another suicide that the person attempting suicide knows about either from local knowledge or due to accounts or depictions of the original suicide on television and in other media. The publicised suicide serves as a trigger for the next suicide by a susceptible or suggestible person this is referred to as suicide contagion.
Suicides occasionally spread through a school system, through a community, or in terms of a celebrity suicide wave, this is called a suicide cluster. This is because of the phenomenon of copycat suicide.
Video
Both phenomenons can be observed in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkAFY6y9SFo&t=2s
Lack of suicide coverage in media
Because of these two factors, there is a lack of suicide coverage in media. In fact, only 1% of suicides is reported in the media.
The Straits Times has its own guideline to follow on the reports on suicide.
- Newsworthy trends that emerge backed by reliable statics
- Newsworthy findings that emerge from researchers
- Publicity for large-scale intervention programmes
- tories with facets of public interest
- Celebrities who take their lives ( not for romanticising )
- Articles that educate readers how to spot those who are potentially suicidal and provide the contact number of crisis hotlines
How can we, as individuals and scouts help to tackle the issue of Suicide
We can help to tackle this issue by observing our families and friends for signs of suicide.
The important signs that we need to spot are:
- Excessive sadness or moodiness: Long-lasting sadness and mood swings can be symptoms of depression, a major risk factor for suicide
- Sudden calmness: Suddenly becoming calm after a period of depression or moodiness can be a sign that the person has made a decision to end his or her life
- Withdrawal: Choosing to be alone and avoiding friends or social activities also are possible symptoms of depression. This includes the loss of interest or pleasure in activities the person previously enjoyed
- Changes in personality and/or appearance: A person who is considering suicide might exhibit a change in attitude or behavior, such as speaking or moving with an unusual speed of slowness. In addition, the person might suddenly become less concerned about his or her personal appearance
- Dangerous or self-harmful behavior: Potentially dangerous behavior, such as reckless driving, engaging in unsafe sex and increased use of drugs and alcohol might indicate that the person no longer values his or her life
- Recent trauma or life crises: A major life crisis might trigger a suicide attempt. Crises include the death of a loved one or pet, divorce or break up of a relationship, diagnosis of a major illness, loss of a job, or serious financial problems
- Making preparation: Often, a person considering suicide will begin to put his or her personal business in order. This might include visiting friends and family members, giving away personal possessions, making a will, and cleaning up his or her room or home. Some people will write a note before attempting suicide
- Threatening suicide: Not everyone who is considering suicide will say so and not everyone who threatens suicide will follow through with it. However, every threat of suicide should be taken seriously
We can also be more proactive in talking about mental health and suicide with your loved ones and close friends
Do you need help?
Help is always available.
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221 4444
https://www.sos.org.sg/
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