First aid in the event of any suicide attempt includes calling the 192 immediately and observing if the victim is breathing and if the heart is beating.
If the person is unconscious and does not appear to be breathing, it is important to perform cardiac massage to improve the chances of survival until the arrival of medical help. Here's how to do heart massage.
However, there are other specific care depending on the type of suicide attempt, such as:
- Cut the wrists: Press on the wrists with clothes, clean cloths or another type of tissue to stop the hemorrhage until arriving at the ambulance;
- Fall: Do not disturb the victim, as it may have fractured the spine, leading to sequelae, such as paralysis, and stop bleeding if the victim is bleeding, until the ambulance arrives;
- Ingestion of poison, medicines or drugs: If the victim is able to swallow, give plenty of salt to cause vomiting and wait for medical help. Then you should try to find the type of substance ingested, and sleeping pills, such as Rivotril and Xanax, are usually the most commonly used.
- Hanging: If the victim still moves, lift or place a chair, mobile, or tall object under the feet;
- Drowning: Remove the victim from the water, lay her on her belly and start cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth breathing until medical help arrives;
- Firearm: Press on the place of the shot with clean cloths, clothes or another type of fabric to diminish the hemorrhage until the ambulance arrives.
Suicide attempts are usually related to some untreated depression, and it is often more than once, so it is important that the victim be accompanied by a psychologist or psychiatrist, so that he or she recovers the will to live.
How to know that there is a risk of suicide
Before a suicide attempt the person may leave some clues as to what to do, and so it is important to pay attention to what he says or to the messages he leaves written, especially if the person is suffering from depression.
It is important to never leave the person and provide the necessary treatment, in addition to being aware of other suicidal behaviors that may present. Learn how to identify these behaviors and how to deal with them.
