Building Resilience and Protective Factors for Long Term Suicide Prevention

Suicide is a major public health challenge with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is estimated that there are currently more than 700,000 suicides per year worldwide, and we know that each suicide profoundly affects many more people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), someone loses their life to suicide every 40 seconds somewhere in the world. This staggering statistic reminds us of the urgent need for awareness, understanding, and action.

On September 10th of each year, World Suicide Prevention Day is celebrated to shed light on this global crisis, offer support, and work towards a world with fewer suicides. With the triennial theme of “Creating Hope Through Action” for World Suicide Prevention Day 2021 - 2023, it is encouraged that we actively raise awareness and play our part in creating a world with fewer suicides by instilling hope in the community. 

Promoting Resilience & Protective Factors for Long Term Suicide Prevention

Essentially, preventing suicide involves more than crisis interventions. It also entails building resilience and protective factors such as fostering strong social connections, easy access to mental health care, developing healthy coping skills and partaking in self-care practices to empower both individuals and communities in the fight against suicide. Let us dive into each aspect deeper: 

1. Social Connections: The Lifeline of Resilience

Strong social connections are thought to be the cornerstone of mental well-being. Building and maintaining meaningful relationships can ultimately provide individuals with emotional support, a sense of belonging, and a safety net during challenging times.

Additionally, being in a community that foster a sense of unity and belonging can also serve as a long term protection against suicide. When individuals feel connected to their community, they are more likely to seek help when needed and to offer support to others in crisis.

2. Coping Skills: Navigating Life’s Challenges

Coping skills encompass emotional regulation techniques that enable individuals to manage stress, anxiety, and depression effectively. These skills include mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation exercises.

On top of that, developing productive problem-solving skills is also imperative as it empowers individuals to tackle life’s challenges head-on. As the common saying goes “When life gives you lemon, make lemonade”. By learning how to handle life challenges and equipping oneself with problem-solving skills, feelings of hopelessness can be reduced and individuals will also be motivated to strive harder each day.

3. Self-Care Practices: Nurturing Well-Being

We often associate a healthy body to a healthy mind. By encouraging individuals to adopt healthy self-care practices that work for them, their mental and emotional well-being can be optimized, thereby reducing the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Self-care refers to taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both our physical and mental health. Some examples of self-care practices that you may suggest or practice yourself to release the happy hormones (dopamine, serotonin) include: regular exercises, healthy eating, getting adequate sleep, engaging in hobbies, stress management etc. All of these can ultimately contribute to overall resilience. It is also important to note that self-care looks different for everyone; what works for you may not work for someone else and vice versa. Nonetheless, although it may seem small and insignificant, small acts of self-care in your daily life can eventually snowball and result in a big impact on your overall mental wellbeing.

Pro tip: If you or someone you know is currently struggling with suicidal thoughts, we’re here to assure you that you are not alone and you are deeply loved. Should you feel stuck and lost, there are 6 free helplines available in Malaysia that you may reach out to. Always remember, H.O.P.E - Hold On Pain Ends. 

Conclusion

Suicide prevention is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a holistic approach. By promoting protective factors such as social connections, coping skills, and self-care practices, we can strengthen resilience in individuals and communities, thereby reducing the risk of suicide in the long run.

It is also our collective responsibility to create a nurturing environment where people feel empowered to seek help and support each other on their journey towards a healthy mental well-being. Together, we can work together to create hope through action, not just on World Suicide Prevetion Day but everyday as every life is worth saving. :)

This article is written by Janelle Leong, Bpharm(Hons) (DOC2US),
reviewed by Dr. Nicholas Soh Yee Huang, MBBS (DOC2US).

References

1.  https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-suicide-prevention-day/2023 
2.  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health 
3.  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide 
4.  https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/prevention/index.html 

Written by

Janelle Leong, Bpharm(Hons) DOC2US