I'm Still Human: Understanding Depression With Kindness (Expanded Edition - 2021)

Depression and suicide
If I had no sense of humor,
I would long ago have committed suicide
- Mahatma Gandhi –
According to the National Suicide Registry, there are on
average two cases of suicide in Malaysia every day. From overseas
studies, more than 90% of people who die of suicide have clinical
depression or another mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia, substance
abuse). Having major depression is a risk factor for suicide. Up to
50% of people with depression have suicidal thoughts. About 15%
of people hospitalized for depression kill themselves. Other risk
factors of suicide include previous suicidal attempts, family history
of mental illness or suicide, being male, substance abuse, chronic
physical illness, and keeping firearms at home.
Warning signs that someone may be thinking about or planning to
commit suicide include:
• Always talking about death.
• Having signs and symptoms of depression, especially
hopelessness.
• Visiting and contacting people to say goodbye.
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