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September 8, 2022
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Featured In: The Coalville Times, Friday, 9th September 2022
HEALTH MATTERS WITH DR HANNA ROBBINS
Suicide Prevention
10th September 2022 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Barney Thorne, our Leicestershire Police Force Lead for Suicide Prevention, talks about this difficult subject. Over to Barney:
Suicidal feelings can mean having thoughts about ending your life or feeling that people would be better off without you. It can mean making plans to take your own life.
You might be scared or confused by these feelings. You may feel less like you want to die and more like you cannot go on as you are. These feelings may build over time or might change from moment to moment. It’s common to not understand why you feel this way.
You are not alone. Many people think about suicide at some point in their lifetime. “I couldn’t see past the pain. I only knew I wanted the pain to stop...”
HOW YOU MIGHT THINK OR FEEL
- hopeless, like there is no point in living
- tearful and overwhelmed
- unbearable pain
- useless, not wanted or not needed
- as if you have no other choice
- like everyone would be better off without you
- numb
What you might experience
- poor sleep
- change in appetite and weight
- not taking care of yourself
- avoiding others
- struggling to communicate
- self-loathing
- urges to self-harm
Suicidal thoughts aren’t permanent – things do improve. With treatment and support, in- cluding self-care, most people who have felt sui- cidal go on to live fulfilling lives. The earlier you let someone know how you’re feeling, the quicker you’ll be able to get support. But it can feel difficult to open up. You may want others to understand, but you might feel:
- unsure of who to tell
- worried they won't understand
- fearful of being judged
- worried you’ll upset them.
Dr Hanna Robbins
Senior GP at Long Lane Surgery
