By Joanna Chung
I keep thinking that there must be more that I can do to help with the suicide crisis in Guyana even though I am not there and there is. You don’t need a clinical degree to help someone in crisis. You need kindness, empathy, understanding, compassion, patience and time. Don’t ask someone how they are doing if you don’t really have the time to hear their answer. Please don’t judge someone’s behavior because you don’t know what they’ve been through, what they’ve overcome, how much they still have to go through. Until you have walked in the same shoes, under the same circumstances, you don’t have a right to judge anyone. Everyone can play a part; be a good friend, a good parent, a kind partner, spouse, neighbor, teacher, pastor, and employer, whatever the role may be. Pay attention: someone who is depressed will often isolate, be sad most of the time, have no appetite or eat everything in sight, have no energy, is tired all of the time, oversleeps or just can’t sleep, feels hopeless and worthless and thinks “maybe everything would be better if I were dead or even i wish that i can go to sleep and just not wake up”. Haven’t you ever felt this way? If no, then that’s great but a lot of people do. Pay attention to the signs, people thinking about suicide always try to tell you in subtle ways, listen. if you notice a change in someone, reach out, ask them, show concern, let them know that you care; even by asking, you add value to their worth, maybe keep them alive another day. Can you help? All the time, listen, let them talk, hear them, validate their feelings. Don’t tell them how to feel, don’t tell them how you feel, don’t tell them your reasons for living. If someone wants to die, it’s because they can’t find a reason to live. Don’t tell them that it’s foolish or stupid or how much you’ve been through, it’s not about you, it’s about them. Sit with them and listen, hug them, normalize their feelings, connect them with more supports, call them to check in and follow up. Every time I visit Guyana, it’s clear that more and more, everyone values their physical health and being fit, that’s great! People are motivated and they work hard, they look great. Why not nurture your mental health also, feed your soul? Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, if not more. From the news articles, it seems like most of the suicides are a result of broken relationships. I’m sure that everyone has had a broken heart or two, it’s painful, very painful, so painful that sometimes you feel like you’re going to die, you can’t breathe. Does it get better? In time. How long does it take? Sometimes a very long time, it depends on how well you can cope and multiple other factors. The point is that eventually it does get better and you can overtime it, you can survive, choose to survive, be a survivor. Everyone wants to see a change, me too. Let it start with you, be the change. Be honest with yourselves, be open to help and being helped, people who love you will listen. if they don’t, find someone who will. Wanting to die is not a weakness, it just means that you don’t have what you need and need some help. if you have these thoughts, talk to someone, they might have them too. You’re not alone and you never have to face these feelings alone. Please reach out to someone you know who might be sad or hurting, you might end up saving a life.
