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Songs to Save a life - music in aid of Samaritans

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Facebook rescue highlights need to talk about suicide

Thoughtful Talk confidentially to Samaritans any time of the day or night.

Whatever you're going through, whether it's big or small, don't bottle it up. We are here for you if you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or just want to talk to someone.

Suicide save

A young boy from Oxford was saved taking his own life recently after talking to an American friend about his feelings via Facebook, according to the Telegraph.

Shortly before 11:30 GMT on Wednesday April 1st, the 16-year-old male told his female friend: "I'm going away to do something I've been thinking about for a while then everyone will find out." The girl, from Maryland, US, passed the information to her mother who in turn alerted the police.

Maryland Police department, armed with only the boy's name and Oxfordshire school from his Facebook profile, then made contact with Thames Valley Police who narrowed the boy's location down to eight potential addresses and sent a team of officers to each.

At the fourth address, three hours after the boy had posted his original message, police found the youth unconscious. He was taken to hospital where he is said to be expected to make a full recovery, the newspaper reports.

Oxfordshire police commander Chief Superintendent Brendan O'Dowda told the Telegraph: "It took up time and effort but it was time and effort absolutely well spent."

Talking without speaking

Using Facebook to express suicidal thoughts may seem strange. Nevertheless, those experiencing feelings of extreme distress might not always feel able to talk directly to others, according to Samaritans.

In response to this, the organisation officially launched an email facility in 2002 to accompany its help line and drop-in branch services. It now answers over 600 e-mails a day across its 199 UK branches. E-mails, as with the organisation's phone service, are answered by trained volunteers and are answered on a rotational basis, with no automated responses employed.

The organisation's website states: "We understand that sometimes it can feel difficult to pick up the telephone, so try an email instead. Sometimes writing down your thoughts can really help understand them better."

Anyone in distress but feeling unable to talk can e-mail jo@samaritans.org any time of day or night, with the charity aiming to reply to all such e-mails within 24 hours of receiving them.

An anonymous Samaritans e-mailer tells the organisation's website: "It […] helped me think things through by writing it all down and the fact that someone was prepared to read it and effectively listen [...] helped a lot."

All e-mails received by the charity are treated with the same level of confidentiality as users of its phone line. Senders' details, including their e-mail address, are removed from incoming e-mails and are unseen by Samaritans volunteers, while all e-mails received by the organisation are automatically deleted after 30 days.

Suicide: the facts

Approximately one per cent of deaths in the UK are the result of suicide, although this percentage rises among those with conditions such as depression, substance abuse problems, schizophrenia, personality disorders and long-term physical illnesses, according to James Tighe, clinical nurse research fellow at the Bracton Centre, Oxleas NHS Trust.

The BBC reports that unemployed men living on their own are the group most at risk of committing suicide, with the number of young men electing to take their own lives increasing in the past two decades. In contrast, suicides among young women over the same period have declined.

Approximately one million people per year take their own lives across the world, with an average 6,000 of those being from the UK. Of these, approximately 4,500 are male, while 1,500 are female, the BBC reports.

Meanwhile, suicideprevention.co.uk states that approximately two people per day commit suicide in Scotland, with suicide being the biggest single killer of those under 35 in the country.

Talking about suicide

According to suicideprevention.co.uk, most people considering suicide will try to talk to someone - in whatever form - about how they are feeling.

James Tighe, tells the BBC website: "Most people contemplating suicide do try to raise the subject with a relative, friend or doctor."

Mr Tighe advises those taken into the trust of someone contemplating suicide not to feel afraid to express their concerns, rather than worrying about saying the "right" thing.

He states: "Try to remain calm and be sympathetic. Don't argue, try to solve problems or give advice. A problem that may seem not so bad to you could be a major life trauma for someone else."

He adds that the main role of someone in such a position is to listen rather than attempt to resolve situations that may appear insurmountable to the person feeling depressed or suicidal. Mr Tighe suggests asking questions which will require answers more expressive than a simple 'yes' or 'no', and directly asking if the person feels suicidal.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are concerned about a friend, you can call Samaritans 24 hours a day for emotional support on 08457 90 90 90 (UK) and 1850 60 90 90 (ROI) email at jo@samaritans.org, or face to face, visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.