Suicide

+381 11 7777 00 – 0 - 24h – Serbian national SOS suicide prevention hotline

0800 300 303 – 2 pm - 11pm – SOS hotline center „Srce“

Suicide refers to the action of self-harm with the goal of ending one’s life and is one of the leading causes of death in people suffering from mental disorders and the fourth leading cause of death in the 15 – 29 age group.

For every suicide committed there are plenty unsuccessful attempts.

A previous suicide attempt is the most significant risk factor or indicator of another possible attempt in the general population. The more previous attempts existed the higher the risk.

In Serbia, as reported by the republic statistic institution, for the past 10 years there has been an average of 83 suicides per month. Most suicides seem to be committed by people older than 65, and men are around three times more likely to commit suicide than women.

Also, the suicide rate isn’t the same in all regions, Vojvodina has an average two- or three-times higher suicide rate than central Serbia.

Every suicide has effect on the lives of individuals, families and communities. Suicide, attempted suicide, or threats of suicide should be taken seriously, people affected by it need to be helped. It is important to inform oneself and contact adequate channels of prevention.

The connection between suicide and mental disorders has already been mentioned, specifically depression (link) and misuse of alcohol (link). Previous attempts at suicide are the most important indicators of suicidality, which needs to be taken very seriously. There are many myths concerning people with suicidal intent and their behavior prior to attempting suicide, some say they ask for help and then stop before the attempt and others say ask for help the most right before the attempt, both cases are possible and asking for help should be taken seriously in any situation. If someone is talking about suicide or is talking in a way which might lead us to believe they might have ideas about committing suicide one should try and talk to this person about this, why they would speak like that, how they feel, how can we help, who else might be able to help, could mental health professionals help, and alike.

Still, suicide also happens because of impulsive decisions in moments of high stress, financial crisis, romantic breakups, chronic pain or illness.

Suicide rates are correlated with difficult life conditions and surroundings, exposure to violence, abuse, isolation, poverty and alike. Groups that are often discriminated against, such as migrants, LGBTQ or transsexual people also have a significantly higher suicide rate and risk.

What are the signs that somebody might be thinking about suicide?

People wont often directly talk about their problems and ask for help, some signs of possible risk of suicide include:

- Talking about wanting to commit suicide or die

- Talking about feeling empty and hopeless or having no reason to live

- Talking about feeling trapped with no solutions to their problems

- Talking about feelings of intolerable physical or emotional pain

- Talking about being a burden to others

- Distancing from family and friends

- Gifting important possessions

- Saying goodbye to close people

- Making a will

- Risky behavior which could lead to death, for example extremely fast driving

- Often mentioning or talking about death

- Extreme mood swings

- Planning suicide, research or getting a weapon

- Talking about feelings of shame

- Using alcohol or other psychoactive substances more than usual

- Anxious or agitated behavior

- Changes in sleep and appetite

- Demonstrations of rage or talking about revenge

Preventive measures:

The stigmatization of suicide as well as mental disorders leads to this often being a taboo topic. This means that people with problems that can seriously endanger their lives, as well as the lives of those closest to them, will often not seek out the adequate help they need. In many countries around the world the importance of investing into suicide prevention isn’t accepted because of the unreadiness to have an open discourse about such a difficult topic.

Different forms of help and therapy are available, a good recommendation is to look to psychotherapeutic practices which are efficient and based on scientific facts.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one such approach, it helps with learning new ways of understanding, confronting and overcoming different problems. It focuses on understanding the connections between emotional, behavioral and cognitive patterns and the ways they influence life.

Safety planning, creating a specific safety plan with instructions which explain what to do and who to go to for help when suicidal ideas appear. Connection and communication with individuals who are at risk of suicide as well as removing weapons or potential methods has been shown to reduce risk.

Collaborative care, a team approach to the mental health of an individual, in which the individual works alongside different experts to develop a treatment strategy which is adequate. This type of approach has shown to be effective in treating depression and lowering suicidal ideas.

If you have suicidal thoughts or ideas, seek help from those closest to you, or a mental health professional. An honest conversation without judgement with someone who is willing to listen and understand you can mean a lot in these situations.

Some phone numbers you can call if you, or someone you know, is in this kind of situation are:

+381 11 7777 00 – 0 - 24h – Serbian national SOS suicide prevention hotline

0800 300 303 – 2 pm - 11pm – SOS hotline center „Srce“

Written by: Bachelor of Psychology, Aleksa Holcer

Centar srce. (n.d.). https://www.centarsrce.org/index.php#

Frequently asked questions about suicide. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq

Pretraga diseminacione baze. (n.d.). https://data.stat.gov.rs/Home/Result/18030304?languageCode=sr-Latn#

Suicide prevention. (2024, July 30). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention

World Health Organization: WHO. (2023, August 28). Suicide. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide

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