As a clinician I’ve seen my fair share of heartbreak. One of the most heart wrenching is the experience of Suicide. Someone is depressed & hopeless, they keep silent, they keep their distance & then you get the call. Depression & hopelessness are the silent killers of our time. So many silent sufferers. So many brilliant lives at stake. What on earth are we to do? Where do we start? For one, let’s take a deep breath & realize we are in fact our brother’s keeper. Yes… we. Let’s own this one. We need to own the fact that everyone is facing a massive battle & some have reached their breaking point.

Below are a few “Signs & Behaviors” worth paying attention to… If you have a friend, co-worker, or family member that struggles with these I’m urging you to seek out some help!!

• Severe changes in mood
• Loss of interest in activities the person used to enjoy
• Giving away possessions they love and/or making a will; tidying up personal affairs; writing notes; making notes on belongings
• Unusually agitated & irritable
• Verbal expressions such as: “I don’t want to live anymore”, “there is nothing to live for anymore”, “my family will be better off without me”
• Spike in drug and alcohol use
• Risk taking behavior
• Impulsive or violent acts
• Expressions of hopelessness and purposelessness
• Lack of self-care or outright neglect of self (Stop bathing, eating)
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Feeling tired most of the time
• Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight
• Changes in eating and sleeping pattern
• Withdrawal from family & friends
• Reconnecting with old friends and family as if to say goodbye

For immediate assistance dial 2-1-1 or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Looking for a licensed therapist in the Jupiter/Palm Beach Gardens area? Call Jonathan Rios MS LMHC 540 388 7302

*Sources utilized: 211palmbeach.org