Suicide
I am saddened to read the demise of a secondary school girl in Melaka, Sally Lee fell to her death in School.
I like to extend my condolences to her family members and love ones.
I am writing this to create the awareness in our public that if we ever hear or read anybody declare that he/she want to end his life, we need to take it seriously. It is better to err on the side of taking it as true rather than dismissing it as a joke.
We can explore the real intention of such expression of suicide by asking open-ended questions such as- “Can you tell me more what do you mean?”
Hopefully we can have more information concerning how serious the threat is. We are to find out whether he/she has thought of how to do it, where and etc. We can also find out whether she has written her last words to her loved ones.
Once we see that there is substantial intention to end one’s life we can always find help from school teachers, counsellors or doctors for initial help.
Never take for granted the threat to attempt suicide as a joke!
13-2-2011
