March Equinox is on the 20th, it also marks the beginning of spring and the end of winter in the northern hemisphere. As the days become warmer, trees, and flowers revive from the winter and daylight hours become longer, we also feel the need to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Although spring makes many of us happy for others this may not be true. According to the CDC sucide rates are the highest in the spring. It’s unknown why there is a spike in suicide rates in the spring, but I want to go over common signs of suicidal behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.
- Loss of interest in activities that a normally enjoyable
- Loss of interest in community, work, school
- Withdrawing or pulling away from family and friends
- Not caring for personal appearance
- Changes in sleep and eating habits
- Feelings of wanting to die and hopelessness
- Difficulty concentrating
Signs of efforts or plans for suicide can include:
- writing a sucide note, giving away possessions, sudden cheerfulness after a long period of depression, stating that they want to kill themselves.
All these are often a cry for help. If you feel that some of the things listed resonate with you or someone in your family may be showing these signs, I encourage you to reach out to a therapist. However, I also want to include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, they are available 24/7 and their phone number is 800-273-8255.