Date: September 10, 2020

To: Professor LeCompte Zambrana, Pier A.

From: Stephanie Rosario Vega
Subject: Suicide prevention: how to spot signs and what to do if you spot them

Introduction
On September 10, 2020 I assist a webinar vía Zoom meeting of Suicide Prevention.
They give information and emphasized on the psychological aspect and mental
health of people. Suicide is a theme that you have strongly to put attention.

Meeting with Dr. Carlos Maldonado, psychiatrist at Hospital Menonita

He highlighted the risk factors were revealed such as psychiatric conditions,
psychological events, economic problems, family history, the triggering death of a
close person, past trauma, physical, sexual and emotional abuse among others.
There are many signs of suicide signs, some people write goodbye letters or their
will, distribute money to their closest relatives or simply get up and are just waiting
for their time to leave. Talking about suicide is believed to be "taboo" as they think
they could put the idea into the person in mind and is not like that, talking can help a
lot.

Statistics
There are regions around the world where a suicide occurs every 50 seconds. In the
people of Puerto Rico, it is the third leading cause of violent death. They are usually
completed with embracing, firearm or intoxication. In 2019 the highest rate of
suicides was in the town of Ponce, and there were 176 deaths per year.

Plan of action
If you run into someone that is thinking, talking or doing something related with
suicide…
● Talk with him/her and express your feelings, try to have a deep
communication with the person and offer your totally help.
● Find professional help immediately.
● Recommend to do things that release the energy, like exercise, yoga, writing
the feelings, among others things.

Conclusion
Many people fight their own battles in silence and we don’t know the limits of their
minds. It was something beneficial to attend this webinar since one as a person
never knows what situations may happen or what thoughts have been able to come
to our mind that indicates falling into suicide, both ourselves and someone else.
Suicide is an impulsive act, and it could take a very short time from the idea to its
realization.
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