What Preppers Need to Know About Suicide Prevention by Fabian Ommar for The Organic Prepper
The 2020 pandemic and various crises created by and around the lockdowns and other measures to contain it are creating profound mental health consequences for many people. This brings to attention the issue of suicide in specific, the 10th of September was the official Worldwide Suicide Prevention Day. Since 2003, the entire month of September has been dedicated to raising awareness of the problem.
The 2021 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s message to help spread the word about prevention actions for 2021 is #BeThe1To. Lifeline networks and their partners, organizations, and community members also direct efforts towards healing, family support, and giving hope.
How does this relate to us as preppers and what can we do about it?
As a prepper and a family and community member, I try my best not to focus exclusively on my own survival and health but also on friends’ and relatives’ well-being. As a human being, I worry about the collective too, others around me in general like coworkers, my community, etc.
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There’s also a secondary aspect that practically relates to prepping and survivalism (even if indirectly), which I will discuss more at the end of this article.
The mind controls everything
One aspect of prepping that has always been at the top of my list is building psychological fortitude and the mindset necessary to deal with hardship, pain, and discomfort.
Each one of us should have our strategies for that. When facing challenges like those presented by SHTF (even a near or slow-burning SHTF), mind matters become more relevant and defining.
Becoming mentally and psychologically stronger can be good for others around us
Mutual support is one very effective way to go through difficult times. One day we’re helping someone. The next it can be us on the receiving end.
We’re seeing many people having difficulty or even failing to cope with the situation during the pandemic. Depression and especially suicide are serious and can destroy the lives of those affected and many others around them.
I’ve had a couple of cases happening recently in parts of my family, one of a fifteen-year-old girl who killed herself with her father’s pistol. It’s disheartening and also worrying.
Understanding suicide prevention techniques is one way you can help others dealing with despair.
Is the number of suicides increasing?
One recent study tried to examine suicides occurring in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in various countries and came out with a surprising result:
“Concerns have been expressed that, at their most extreme, these consequences could manifest as increased suicide rates. We aimed to assess the early effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates around the world.
…
In high-income and upper-middle-income countries, suicide numbers have remained largely unchanged or declined in the early months of the pandemic compared with the expected levels based on the pre-pandemic period.”
The study concludes with an alert, though:
“We need to remain vigilant and be poised to respond if the situation changes as the longer-term mental health and economic effects of the pandemic unfold.”
