"The risk of suicide is three times higher in patients with spinal cord injury than in the general population"

• Eleven lives I X-ray of suicide in Spain: more deaths, greater risk among young people and a growing but insufficient effort in prevention

• Eleven lives II Words, gestures and listening against suicide: "To help well you have to touch the pain

• Eleven lives III Protect your life against suicidal ideation: "Seek help before anguish blocks you, you are not alone"

• Eleven lives IV 8% of health workers have thought about suicide during the pandemic: "It is difficult for them to ask for help because they fear showing themselves vulnerable"

Every two and a quarter hours a person commits suicide in Spain.

That is

, approximately 330 each month;

terrible figures behind which extraordinary suffering is hidden, a host of causes and risk factors that should not be overlooked.

Suffering from serious mental health problems, having carried out previous suicide attempts, presenting certain personality traits, suffering from a lack of socio-family support, or suffering from a disability are, among others, risk factors for suicidal behavior that can be precipitating.

"Within suicide prevention, we must take into account the existence of

," explains Rebeca Alcocer, co-director of the National Network of Psychologists for Suicide Prevention.

"The risk of suicide is three times higher in patients with

than in the general population," confirms Pilar García Ramberde, a psychiatrist at the National Hospital for Paraplegics in Toledo.

In this state reference center, he explains, a psychological care approach is carried out for all patients.

"In 100% of the patients who are admitted and in their families, psychological attention is carried out due to the complexity of coping with the acute spinal cord injury. But, in addition, if this injury has been produced by a suicide attempt or there was already pathology of mental health detected, these patients are also attended by psychiatry".

According to a study carried out at the center in the last 10 years, "7% of spinal cord injuries treated were caused by suicide attempts."

The psychiatric and psychological work in these cases is complex, says the specialist.

"For these patients, the first tragedy is opening their eyes and seeing that they have survived such a brutal attempt to stop suffering. They survive, and on top of that, they survive with very serious injuries."

"You have to do a job to help these people adapt to their new situation, with a lot of support and also looking for resources, such as testimony from other patients who have gone through the same thing and who have been able to achieve things that the patient believes that they will never be able to do again. can do," adds Alcocer, who is a psychologist at the Princesa81 Psychology Center in Madrid and a member of the Madrid College of Psychologists.

"

They suffer from what we call tunnel vision and do not see the possibility of solving their problems, they do not see that there are other options. Our job is to get them to see those alternatives, encourage them to value the other options," he adds.

"That is why it is so important

. You have to make it visible and make visible the importance of asking for help. There is always another way out," Alcocer emphasizes.

"Suicide must be demystified as an act of cowardice," agrees García Ramberde, who points out that in order to reduce the terrible suicide figures that currently exist in Spain and that "have been on the rise since 2010" it is essential to have more health resources mental.

"It is necessary to be able to count on more psychiatrists and psychologists. If we compare the professionals available with those in other countries around us, we will realize that they are much lower. And the patients are suffering from it," he indicates.

More than 90% of people who are thinking of carrying out a suicide attempt give notice

, the specialists consulted point out, so it is necessary to be attentive to possible signs that show this ideation.

"In many cases, verbalizations are given with phrases such as 'I'm a burden', 'I can't take it anymore' or

", Alcocer points out.

"Sudden changes in behavior or mood, inattention to personal hygiene, as well as what is known as closing behaviors, such as arranging issues related to the bank or insurance may also appear," he points out.

In these cases, in addition to asking for specialized help,

, show our concern for the changes we have noticed and give them space to express their anguish.

It is a myth that you should not talk about it.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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• Suicide Prevention