Dear Nigerians, why are we committing suicide?

According to the World Health Organisation, every 40

seconds, one person commits suicide somewhere in the

world, which tallies to 800,000 suicides annually,

worldwide and if you own a smartphone in this part of

the world, you would have surely read one or two suicide

stories in the past week.

Back in 2016 when Psychologist and lecturer at the

University of Lagos, Prof. Oni Fagbohungbe, said that

suicide may increase in Nigeria, we all laughed it out as

a social media joke.

In his words, 'With failure, frustration here and there and

inability to do things one’s heart desire, self-reproach

comes in. Then, aggression also comes in. The

individual reacts to the society which is perceived as the

cause of your failure. These are the kinds of situation

that aggravate suicidal tendencies'.

With recent happenings in the country, the reality is

setting it and we can go on to list the countless

numbers of suicides reported in the past week.

1. The story of 35 year old medical doctor, Allwell Orji

who parked his car and leaped off the 3rd mainland

bridge is still very fresh in our minds.

2. There's also the news of a 60 year old man, a

chieftain of PDP, Dr Isaac Ojukwu who committed

suicide by setting himself on fire in a rented hotel

3. And then the story of the young Fulani boy whose

body was spotted hanging from a tree in a bush at

Lariye Village in Zaki

Not to mention the series of suicides on Facebook live

and of course the many suicides stories that never make

the news or get on blogs.

So what really is the problem?

Experts say financial and economic troubles push many

to the edge in Nigeria, which is rated 103 out of 157

countries in the United Nation’s 2016 World Happiness

Report.

The prevailing economic crisis, recession and poverty in

the country is obviously a factor to consider in all these.

But then, suicide is really not a new thing.

A 2012 report by WHO states that over 800,000 people

die of suicide annually and that it is the second cause of

death among young people between 15-29 years.

How to Help a Suicidal Person

At this rate, we all need to do more, we must genuinely

show love and concern for people around us and here

are a few tips that can help us all save lives in these

trying times.

Always take suicidal comments very

seriously. When a person says that he or she is

thinking about suicide, you must always take the

comments seriously. Assuming that the person

is only seeking attention is a very serious, and

potentially disastrous, error. Get help

immediately.

Listen attentively to everything that the person

has to say. Let the person talk as much as he

or she wants to. Listen closely so that you can

be as supportive as possible, and learn as

much as possible about what is causing the

suicidal feelings.

Let the person know that you are deeply

concerned. Tell the person that you are

concerned, and show them that you are

concerned. A suicidal person is highly vulnerable

and needs to feel that concern.

Comfort the person with words of

encouragement. Use common sense to offer

words of support. Remember that intense

emotional pain can be overwhelming, so be as

gentle and caring as possible. There is no

script to use in situations like these, because

each person and each situation is different.

Listen carefully, and offer encouraging words

when appropriate.

Don't be judgmental. Do not invalidate anything

that the person says or feels. The person is

probably suffering from a chemical imbalance in

the brain, and thus could not possibly think

clearly. Be supportive and caring, not

judgmental, but get help immediately.

Be careful of the statements that you

make. You do not want to make the person feel

any worse than he or she already does. Again,

the person is probably suffering from a

chemical imbalance in the brain and is thus

extremely sensitive.

Listen, listen, listen. Be gentle, kind, and

understanding. Again, allow the person to talk

as much as he or she wants. Always listen very

attentively, and encourage him or her to talk

more. Be as gentle, kind, and understanding as

possible.

If the person is at a high risk of suicide, do not

leave him or her alone. Do not leave a critically

suicidal person alone for even a second. Only

after you get professional help for the person

can you consider leaving him or her.