FACSAFOUNDATION.ORG SHATTERING THE SILENCE TOUR DOCUMENTARY PROJECT Volume 7 | Page 27
Judging behavior based on online posts alone is challenging, but there are potential warning signs or
indicators for self-harm or suicide. Below are questions to ask yourself to help assess if another user
is feeling suicidal:
Does this person post content about depression or feelings of hopelessness?
Is this person posting comments about death or feelings that death is the only option?
Is he or she posting comments about having attempted suicide in the past?
Is he or she describing or posting photos of self-harm or identifying him or herself as suicidal?
Has his or her mood and the content of his or her posts changed recently?
If you’ve assessed the situation, and know the person involved, encourage him or her to seek
professional help. If, on the other hand, you don’t know the person involved, you may still contact
them to express concern or refer him or her to a counselor, a suicide hotline, or someone who might
know them better. If you don’t feel comfortable reaching out to the person on your own or aren’t sure
how to reach them, you can also alert Twitter.
Dealing with Thoughts of Self-Harm or Suicide
If you are having thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or depression, please reach out to someone and
request help. Call one of the numbers listed below to People call or reach out to these resources for
a variety of reasons, including depression, loneliness, substance abuse, illness, relationship
problems, and economic problems.
Depression has a variety of symptoms and affects millions of adults each year. Common symptoms
include sadness, loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, loss of energy,
difficulty thinking and possibly thoughts of suicide. You might exhibit these types of behaviors or they
might be subtler. Either way, don’t ignore them.
If you would want help from trusted professionals, there are many online resources that can be of
help.