{"id":24718,"date":"2020-09-29T05:57:42","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T05:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=24718"},"modified":"2020-09-29T05:57:42","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T05:57:42","slug":"how-you-can-help-prevent-suicide-during-the-covid-19-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=24718","title":{"rendered":"How You Can Help Prevent Suicide During the COVID-19 Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Latest Mental Health News<\/h3>\n

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\"News<\/p>\n

SATURDAY, Sept. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n

Challenges related to the COVID-19<\/a> pandemic may increase the risk of suicide<\/a>, so it’s crucial to know the warning signs, a mental health<\/a> expert says.<\/p>\n

Suicide<\/a> is often preventable, because people considering suicide<\/a> want help, according to Dr. Ahmad Hameed, a psychiatrist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Penn.<\/p>\n

“A majority of the time, individuals who survived a serious suicide<\/a> attempt say they were relieved that they are alive and that someone was there to listen to them and understand what they were going through,” Hameed said in a Penn State news release.<\/p>\n

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> study conducted in June found a rise in mental health<\/a> conditions during the pandemic. Thirty-one percent of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety<\/a> or depression<\/a>, and 11% said they had seriously considered suicide in the preceding 30 days.<\/p>\n

“About 90% of individuals who die by suicide have either a diagnosed or diagnosable mental health disorder,” Hameed said.<\/p>\n

For people already prone to anxiety<\/a>, health concerns, potential job loss and worries about loved ones during the pandemic can seem unbearable.<\/p>\n

“It’s time for loved ones, friends and family members to be really mindful of any potential behaviors they might see in a person with a mental health condition,” Hameed said.<\/p>\n

Some of the signs to look for include: Is a person’s depression<\/a>, anxiety<\/a> or isolation worsening? Are they more distant? Are they able to care for themselves? Do they have sudden weight loss<\/a> or weight gain<\/a>? Are they having trouble sleeping? Do they talk about not wanting to live? Have they made a plan to die by suicide? Has their alcohol<\/a> or drug use<\/a> increased? Did they recently buy a gun (more than half of people who die by suicide use a firearm)? Are they getting their affairs in order?<\/p>\n

By recognizing the warning signs, you could help someone at risk for suicide, Hameed suggested. Follow these four steps:<\/p>\n