Suicide is the act of deliberately ending one’s own life. It is said that a large percentage of suicide cases are related to mood disorder or depression. Situations that might prompt suicidal thoughts or behavior are unemployment, financial problems, guilt feelings, alcohol or drug addiction, physical illness, death etc.

Most people, mainly close friends, family members and relatives of the individuals who attempt suicide view suicide as an act of selfishness. However, the individuals who attempt or complete suicide feel/felt otherwise. They mistakenly believe that their act is doing their friends and family a favor. This irrational thought leads to suicidal behavior.

One effective way of preventing suicide is early detection and help from professionals.
Some Warning Signs of Suicide:
Depression
Anger or hostility
Hopeless
Isolation or withdrawal
Insomnia
Loss of appetite
Preoccupation with death
Giving things away that were once valued
Ending significant relationships or commitments (breaking up)
Sudden uplift in mood after depression
Promiscuity
Severe outbursts of temper
Excessive substance use
Absence from school or work
Inability to carry out normal tasks of daily life
Inability to laugh

Getting help for depression can stop a person from ending their life. They need to be treated in the right manner so that they are not dealing with the problems of depression and going through the stress of having difficulty dealing with day-to-day issues on their own. A person that is going through any type of depression should not be on their own. They need to have support and get the help that that they deserve no matter what.

Proper diagnosis of depression or any other illness is the key to effective treatment and cure. If you suspect that you may be suffering from depression, just ask yourself two simple questions and answer them carefully and objectively.

1. In the last month, have you been lost interest or pleasure in doing things which you previously loved to do?
2. In the last month, have you been feeling down, depressed or hopeless?

There are many types of depression. You might be suffering from a mild depression which if left untreated might blow-up into a more serious kind of depression and may affect your life adversely. If, however, you answered ‘Yes’ to both the above questions, it is strongly suggested that you see a health care professional immediately.

There are many different tests and criteria for diagnosis of depression. These are the most common tests:
Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (Ham-D-7)
Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
Patient Health Questionnaire - PHQ-9

There are a few things that you need to remember:
Depression is an illness and has to be treated and Depression can be cured by proper treatment.