MONTEGO BAY, St James — Founder and president of Choose Life International Dr Donovan Thomas wants Jamaicans to observe the warning signs of suicide.

Dr Thomas’s comments come four days after news broke that a 28-year-old woman allegedly attempted to take her life in Barrett Hall, St James. Before her attempts the woman allegedly threw her five-month-old daughter, Destiny Brown, from the roof of the two-storey dwelling in which they lived.

It was reported that the tragic incident stemmed from a disagreement with the child’s father.

“Conflict is common; all relationships have conflicts and we have got to be careful on how to manage these conflicts. Often in spousal conflicts there tends to be an attack on an individual, and I am not saying that this was the situation that prevailed here, I am just speaking generally,” Dr Thomas told the Jamaica Observer.

Dr Thomas further explained that having studied suicide for three decades he has recognised that there are many Jamaicans who are vulnerable to this act. He pointed out that, while thoughts of suicide are sometimes verbally expressed, there are also non-verbal indications that an individual is leaning towards taking their life.

“One of the things I have learned about our Jamaican people, as I have studied the issue of suicide for over three decades, is there are many people in our Jamaican context who go around with vulnerability to suicide. Many of us are at risk of suicide but, given the fact that we have not been identified as being suicidal, we think that we are low-risk. It does not take much for the person who is at low risk of suicide to escalate into attempting suicide,” he told the Observer.

“Every time a person talks about killing self, that is a cry for help — even if they say it was a joke,” Dr Thomas added.

The warning signs are sometimes simple, however Dr Thomas pointed out that they may also come in the form of complaints about the trajectory of life.

“Many times it is expressed verbally, and that is what most of us are accustomed to, but there are other times when we can observe the behaviours in the person’s life. They talk about expressing unbearable pain; they talk about being a burden to others; they’re talking about feeling trapped or having no reason to live. As we interact with people who are going through difficult times we have to listen carefully to what they are saying,” Dr Thomas urged.

“We also have to observe their moods. Are they displaying periods of sadness? Is there a lack of interest in things that they usually find engaging? Is there any display of anxiety? An increased use of alcohol or drugs is a warning sign, so even if the person does not say [they are considering suicide], we as a society need to be aware of those non-verbal signs,” he appealed.

As it relates to de-escalating a suicide attempt, Dr Thomas suggested the use of the PINS scale.

P – Plan: The more detailed the plan is, the closer the person is to suicide.

I – Intensity of the method: The person who knows the method is closer to suicide than a person who says they will find a way.

N – Nearness of the method: Does the person already have the means of death? We want to separate the person from the means of death as much as possible, advised Dr Thomas.

S – Support: What type of support does the person have? Offer as much support as possible.

People needing support can contact the health ministry’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline at 888-NEW-LIFE (888-639-5433).