Hinduism Answers – Suicide – How To Help A Suicidal Friend?

The numbers of Hindu families committing suicide are on the rise. The reasons are many financial, emotional, ignorance, superstition and more…This particular article (Hinduism Answers) attempts to look at how to help a suicidal friend or colleague.

Right action, empathy, words of encouragement or wisdom at the appropriate time can save a human being.

Hindu families are giving up because a majority of the families have become islands and there is no bridge connecting these islands. Hindu religion needs to start making connecting bridges between families with Hindu Temples as the center.

The ideal way to make a difference is through cooperation. Connect with Hindu families in your society. The best way is through prayers meetings or through weekly Bhagavad Gita discussions.

When a Hindu youngster or Hindu family is in distress instead of blaming, gossiping and ignoring, reach out by saying we are there or inform them that there are people who care. If you are scared to reach out as an individual, do it as a group with the help of elders.

The best way to help a friend or acquaintance showing suicidal tendency is to get them involved. Know their strength and put them to use. It is in a way asking for their service or help.

Every individual has an area of expertise and talent. The best way to stop a person from suicide is showing what their real strengths are. And how to make use of their strengths to come out of the tricky situation in life.

Everyone can say you matter or you are needed or your life is precious. What we should be doing is giving them an opportunity to prove their worth even without them realizing. Real action is what is needed instead of high-sounding sympathetic words. Pull them completely out of the current mindset and put them in situations in which they relish and they begin to find meaning in life.

Suicidal people are so absorbed in their own issues that they are unable to see opportunities. They only see darkness, as a friend you should be directing the person towards light and opportunities. A single spark of light will change the person.

A major problem with Hindus today is that they are self-obsessed. There is no empathy and most of us are self-absorbed. We need to make Hindu groups in society that focuses on serving others. When we show them that there are people in society, who are undergoing worse things but have not given up will give such people a new perspective of life. People who are hiding in their shells need to be brought and shown the struggles that people go through daily.

We need to show those who are thinking of putting an end to life, how they can contribute to the world. How they can help in wiping the tears of others and thereby getting their tears wiped out.

Kindness, listening and empathy should be the key tools next time when you come across a friend or acquaintance who is under tremendous pressure - on the verge of suicide.