Lending a sympathetic ear may avert suicide

NST: Don’t be judgmental of family members, friends and colleagues especially when they are suffering from stress, depression or facing what may seem at first to be only a minor problem to a third party.
Instead, lending a sympathetic ear may avert suicide incidents, said Saras Pillay, the national president of Befrienders Malaysia.
She said Malaysian society was quite judgmental and quick to criticise others.
"This has inadvertently contributed to the rising number of suicides and self-inflicted injuries among people who are facing personal problems," she said in an interview with the New Straits Times here today.
Saras, who volunteers for the Penang Befrienders, said anyone could help their close ones overcome problems provided they were sincere in offering their help.
To provide effective help it was important to not be judgmental, in mind and heart, she said.
"Most of the time, the affected person just needs someone to confide in."
But Saras reminded that listeners should be mindful of what they say when responding as "negative" statements could aggravate the mental condition of the confiding party.
Some people attempt suicide because they cannot see an alternative.
Thus caregivers or listeners need to tread the path of providing advice carefully, she said.
Saras said when advice was misconstrued, the troubled person’s mental condition could worsen.
This was worrisome as the confiding party may interpret the statement as mirroring the uselessness of his or her situation.
This may then drive the affected party into thinking that the only way out was by committing suicide, she added.
Saras said the best that could be done in such a situation was for the listening party to persuade the confiding party to seek help from psychiatric professionals or to call the Befrienders.
She was concerned with the high number of suicides among Malaysians.
The NST recently reported that an average of seven people committed suicide daily with the total number of such deaths exceeding 2,500 a year.
The suicides were linked, among others, to poverty, loss of loved ones, breakdown in relationships, drug abuse and family history.
The Health Ministry has provided 27 hospitals nationwide with psychiatric service to deal with suicidal patients and those facing depression.
There are 85 psychiatrists, two clinical psychologists and 56 counsellors in these hospitals.
Saras said callers can contact the Befrienders at any of its four centres located in Kuala Lumpur (03-7956-8144/5), Ipoh (05-547-7955/33), Penang (04-281-1108/5161) and Malacca (06-284-2500).