| How to Grow Turmeric Posted: 11 Sep 2019 01:00 AM PDT Turmeric is a plant that can be harvested to make turmeric powder—a spice with has a strong, bitter flavor that is reminiscent of ginger. To grow it, you'll need to plant a turmeric rhizome, which is an immature length of turmeric root. Growing turmeric is easy as long as you can consistently monitor and water your rhizome. This shouldn't be too tall of an order since most of the growing process can take place indoors and doesn't require sunlight. To grow turmeric, buy some turmeric rhizomes, plant them in smaller pots or planters, and then transfer them outside after 6-10 months before harvesting them. [Edit]Preparing Rhizomes for Planting - Plant your turmeric indoors in the late winter. Turmeric takes a long time to sprout, but luckily, it can be done indoors during the winter. It also won't require light until it begins to sprout, so you don't need to worry about taking up a big space near a window for the 5-6 months required to sprout the stalks.[1]
- If you live in a warmer climate and want to plant your turmeric outside, you can plant the rhizomes in your garden. Do it in the winter after the last frost passes so that they sprout in the summer months. You can't do this if it gets colder than outside in winter though.
- If you're planting turmeric outside, do it in a greenhouse with a planter's box if you can. Turmeric requires a lot of space for the roots and needs a lot of humidity to grow early on.
- Purchase some turmeric rhizomes from a market or health food store. To grow turmeric, you need to purchase turmeric rhizomes. They look sort of like ginger root, and can be found in most grocery or health food stores. Look for rhizomes with a lot of little bumps on the round portion sticking out of the root. These are called buds, and the number of buds on a rhizome will determine how big the plant gets.[2]
- If you can't find rhizomes at a store in your area, you can purchase them online.
- Get pots that are at least deep and wide. Once you plant your rhizomes, they'll need plenty of space in the pot to grow. Turmeric can grow up to tall, so choose a pot that will be big enough to support it as it grows. Ceramic or plastic pots or planters are perfectly fine for turmeric.[3]
- Use a planter or pot with good drainage at the bottom.
- You can use planters instead of pots if they have the same dimensions.
- If you're planting your turmeric outside, consider using a planter's box to ensure that the rhizome has enough space underneath it to grow. A simple box with a depth of should be more than enough.
- Cut the stem off of the rhizome if it came with one. Depending on the brand and style of rhizome that you purchased, the rhizomes may still be attached to the stem. The stem looks like a bulky chunk of dried garlic, and may have small hair-like branches sticking off of it. You can remove the rhizomes by pulling them off if they're dried out. Otherwise, use a knife to cut the stem off of your rhizomes.[4]
- You can cut your rhizome into smaller sections if you have smaller pots or planters.
- Cut your rhizomes into pieces so that each piece has 2-3 buds. Inspect a length of rhizome and count how many buds there are. The buds are the small bumps that extend out of the body of the rhizome. Cut sections of rhizome into smaller pieces so that each chunk has 2-3 buds on it.[5]
[Edit]Planting Your Rhizomes - Fill each planter or pot with of potting soil. Look at the label on a bag of soil to find a slightly alkaline soil with a pH between 6-8. Pour your soil into the pot so that the bottom third of your container is filled. You do not need to pat the soil down, but you can shift it around with your hands so that it's flat if you'd like to.[6]
- pH refers to the acidity level in soil. Turmeric grows best in soil that is slightly acidic.
- Lay a section of rhizome flat on top of the soil with the buds facing up. Place a rhizome in the center of the soil. Rotate the rhizome so that the majority of the buds are facing up towards the opening of the pot. If the buds are on random sides of the rhizome, rotate it so that the majority of the buds are pointing towards the opening of the pot, even if they're at an angle.[7]
- The stalks of your turmeric plant are going to grow out of the buds, so as long as most of them are facing the opening of the pot, they're likely to grow in the direction of the opening.
- Don't worry about a stalk growing out the bottom of your pot or planter. It will just die off when it can't get any sunlight after it grows.
- Cover the rhizome with potting soil, leaving at the top. Fill the rest of your pot or planter with your potting soil. Tilt the open bag of your soil over the top of your pot or planter and tip it downward to pour the soil. Cover each section of the pot or planter equally until you have a little bit of room at the top.
- Some ancient Asian or Indian methods of turmeric harvesting involve covering the rhizome in manure, fertilizer, or compost. This is not generally recommended for health reasons.
- Water your pots or planters thoroughly until the soil is visibly wet. Fill a water sprout or large cup with tap water and pour it liberally across the surface of your pot or planter until you've gotten each section of the soil wet. Water until the soil is visibly moist. Do this slowly to avoid drowning your rhizome.[8]
- Make sure that there is a base for your pot or planter if it has drainage holes at the bottom to avoid making a mess.
- Slip your pots or planters into clear plastic bags. Get planter bags or large plastic trash bags and slip your pots inside. Set each pot at the base of an individual bag and fold it over at the top so that the opening is restricted a little bit. Place your turmeric in the area that you plan on storing it.[9]
- If you're planting your turmeric in a garden, plant them in a greenhouse if you can. If you can't, consider making a miniature greenhouse for your plants.
- Your turmeric may still grow without a plastic bag or greenhouse, but keeping the plant humid is essential to making it sprout. If you can't store it in a greenhouse or bag, mist your turmeric every day with a spray bottle filled with water.
- You don't need to seal the bag. In fact, you want a little air flow to promote growth.
- Store your pots or planters in a warm place. Turmeric rhizomes grow when the temperature is . If the temperature drops below , your plant may die before it has had a chance to sprout.[10]
- If you don't have a warm place to store your turmeric, use a heating pad or desk lamp to keep it warm.
- If you don't want to keep your turmeric artificially warm and you don't have an appropriate place to store it, put it in a large plastic cooler in a temperate section of your home.
- It doesn't matter if your plants are exposed to light at this stage in the growing process.
- Water your turmeric every 2-3 days to keep the soil damp. Your rhizomes are going to need to be watered regularly, especially if you live in a warmer climate where the water is likely to evaporate very quickly. Check on your turmeric once every couple of days to see if the soil is damp. If it's still a little moist, you can wait another day before checking. Water your rhizomes with tap water until the soil at the top is visibly damp[11]
- Wait 6-10 months for your turmeric to grow. Your turmeric will begin to sprout after 6-10 months of watering in a warm climate. Once you see a stalk start to stick out of the planter or pot, it has started to grow into a mature plant. Leave your turmeric plants where they are until the stalks grow to in length.[12]
[Edit]Transferring Your Stalks Outdoors - Transfer your stalks to their final pot once the stalks are long. Once your stalks have emerged, you need to transfer them to a bigger pot or section of your garden where they can be exposed to sunlight. To transfer a plant, pour soil halfway into your new pot. Dig your hands into your turmeric pot's soil around the root to find the rhizome. Carefully lift it out of the soil, moving topsoil out of the way by hand as needed. Space plants in the same planter or planter's box at least apart from one another.[13]
- Use the same soil that you used to originally plant your rhizome.
- If you're growing your turmeric in your garden, you don't need to transfer your plant.
- If you're moving the plants into a planter's box, dig your hole so that the plant has at least of space around it in every direction.
- Move your plants to partial shade once they're in a bigger pot or planter. Find a place with partial shade to keep your leaves from getting burnt as it adjusts to the sunlight. Once you've transferred your plants into a bigger container, move them outdoors so that they can be exposed to sunlight and continue growing. Turmeric doesn't need a ton of light to stay healthy, and keeping it in partial shade for at least part of the day will ensure that the leaves don't dry out quickly.[14]
- You'll have to store your turmeric indoors near a window if it's still colder than outside.
- Water your outdoor plants every 2-3 days. Moving the plants outdoors is essential once the leaves have grown, as the plant will need sunlight to grow. Continue to water the plant as you normally did when it was indoors to keep your plant from drying out. If the plant doesn't get enough water, it will start to die.[15]
- Use the mist setting on your garden hose to water your plant to avoid damaging the leaves.
- Look out for damage or discoloration in your plant. If you find lots of physical damage to your leaves, it could be a sign that you have a thrips infestation or a caterpillar feeding on your plant. Use an organic pesticide like neem oil or a nontoxic soil treatment to ward off unwanted bugs.[16] When you remove or inspect a rhizome, if it looks gray or pale, it could be a sign of scale damage. Throw your rhizome out to prevent the infestation from spreading and then treat your soil with dimethoate.
- Turmeric plants are often unappealing to many insects in temperate regions of the world. Turmeric powder can even be used as a pesticide with some crops!
[Edit]Harvesting Your Plant - Harvest your turmeric when the leaves and stem start to brown and dry. At some point in the next 2-3 months, the turmeric plant will begin to brown and dry out. This is the best time to harvest your turmeric. If you continue to let the plant grow, it will slowly rot over time and ruin any potential turmeric that you could extract.[17]
- You can tell if your turmeric is almost ready for harvesting if it seems like it's struggling to retain water and dries out quickly.
- Cut the stems of your plant from the soil. To harvest the turmeric, you need to access the adult rhizomes underneath the soil. To start, use garden shears or a cutting knife to remove the stalks near the soil. Discard the leaves by composting them.[18]
- If the plant is dry enough, you should be able to simply snap the stalk near the bottom.
- Remove the rhizome and wash it in the sink. Once you've cut the stem, pull the remainder of the plant out of the soil by hand. Cut or snap off the remaining sections of stalk and take the mature rhizome to a sink to wash it. Run it under warm water and rub it softly by hand to remove the dirt and soil off of the rhizome.[19]
- Don't forcibly scrub the rhizome. You just need to remove the outer layers of dirt and soil before grinding, using, or storing it.
- Store any matured rhizomes in the refrigerator if you don't plan on using them. Place any rhizomes that you don't plan on using in an airtight plastic bag or storage container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 6 months without inflicting any damage on the flavor of the turmeric.[20]
- Boil and peel a rhizome to prepare it for grinding. To prepare a rhizome for grinding, boil a clean rhizome in a pot with water. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, turn it down to a simmer. After 45-60 minutes, drain the pot in a colander or strainer. You can rub the skin off of the rhizome after boiling it, although it's perfectly fine to leave it on.[21]
- You can tell if the rhizome is ready for grinding if a fork easily pierces it after boiling.
- Grind your rhizome to make turmeric powder. Let your rhizome dry out in the sun overnight. Put on some rubber gloves before making turmeric powder, since the orange powder that you're creating won't easily wash off of the skin. Cut your rhizome into smaller pieces and then grind it with a spice mill, grinder, or with a mortar and pestle until you've got a fine powder.[22]
- You can use a food dehydrator set to to dry your rhizome more quickly if you'd like. It's ready to cut and grind once it's brittle and dry. This process usually takes 30-45 minutes.
- Store turmeric powder in an airtight container designed for food storage.
[Edit]Warnings - Do not grind any rhizomes that have been treated with a nonorganic pesticide. Instead, wash and replant them for another cycle before using them.
- If your turmeric plants start to smell when they're being stored indoors, it may be a sign that the rhizomes are rotting from too much water.
- Turmeric takes a long time to grow and requires a lot of water to stay healthy. If you know that you're going to be gone for a long period of time at some point in the next year, you may want to hold off on growing turmeric.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Pots
- Planters
- Turmeric rhizomes
- Potting soil
- Plastic bags
- Cooler (optional)
- Lamp (optional)
- Heating pad (optional)
- Rubber gloves
- Spice mill, grinder, or mortar and pestle
[Edit]References |
| How to Use a Lawn Edger Posted: 10 Sep 2019 05:00 PM PDT A lawn edger is a tool that you can use to trim the grass on the very edge of a lawn or flowerbed that the lawnmower may not be able to reach. Having a well-trimmed edge around your lawn or flowerbed will make it look well cared-for and can prevent unruly weeds from invading your lawn. Lawn edgers are fairly diverse tools that can be used to create a neat edge around your flower beds, to expand an existing flower bed, or to mark out the edges of a new flowerbed or vegetable bed. [Edit]Choosing the Best Edger for Your Type of Lawn - Purchase an electric stick edger for a simple, straightforward model. Electrically powered stick edgers are the most popular type for a reason: they are relatively lightweight and well suited for clearing up the edges around average-sized lawns, gardens, and flower beds. Some electrical edgers do need to be physically plugged into an outlet (so plan to invest in extension cords), but others are powered by a small rechargeable battery.[1]
- Electrical edgers are also a budget-friendly option. You can find them at hardware stores or home-improvement stores, and they typically cost as little as $30–40 USD.
- Opt for a gas-powered stick edger to clear heavier brush. As you'd expect, gas-powered stick edgers are much heavier and louder than their electric counterparts. However, they are also quite a bit more powerful. If your lawn is covered in weeds, hedges, and other rough brambles—or if you just have a very large lawn to clean up—you may need the power of a gas edger to get the job done.[2]
- Gas edgers come with either 2- or 4-cylinder motors; the larger 4-cylinder motors run cleaner than the smaller engines but weigh more and are more pricey.
- You can find gas edgers at hardware stores for around $150–180 USD.
- Use a manual blade edger if you have a small lawn to edge. A manual lawn edger comprises a wooden or metal pole with a semi-circular blade at the end. If you have a small lawn or are planning to edge around 1 or 2 small flower beds, a manual edger is the practical choice. Manual edgers come with either a flat blade, which are ideal for cutting along lawn edges, or blades with scoop-cut edges, which are great for edging around delicate flower beds. [3]
- Manual edgers are the cheapest, since they have no motor and require no fuel. You can find manual edgers at home-improvement or hardware stores for around $20 USD.
- You'll get quite a workout using a manual edger, too, which could be a positive or negative thing depending on the region you live in and the season in which you're edging the lawn.
- Choose a walk-behind wheeled edger if you have a large lawn. If you have a huge expanse of grass that you want to trim up, a large walk-behind edger is your best bet. These tools—which you'll use just like a lawnmower—are a good choice for edging around large trees and substantial flower beds. Walk-behind wheeled edgers are also great for trimming the grass along a long stretch of sidewalk.[4]
- Keep in mind that wheeled edgers only work on flat ground. If you have a sloped or rolling backyard, avoid using a walk-behind edger.
- These large edgers can cost as much as $400 USD. If the large price tag deters you, consider renting one from your local hardware or landscape-supply store.
[Edit]Clearing Your Lawn and Marking a Path - Wear protective clothing and ear plugs to keep yourself safe. Before you start working on the lawn, put on a pair of long pants and heavy boots or shoes. These will protect you in case you accidentally hit your leg or foot with the edger. Also put in a pair of protective earplugs or wear sound-blocking earmuffs to block the loud sounds of the edger if you're using a gas-powered model.[5]
- Also wear protective goggles or eyewear, to keep your eyes safe from any flying debris the edger may kick up. If you don't already have a pair of protective goggles or ear plugs, purchase them at a local hardware store.
- Mow the entire lawn before you start trimming the edges. Mowing your lawn before cleaning up the edges will save you time and effort in the long run. If you trim the edges of your lawn first and mow second, you could end up with edges dramatically longer or shorter than the majority of the lawn. This would give your lawn an unfinished, sloppy look.[6]
- Cleaning up the edges after you mow also gives you the opportunity to trim any patchy spots you may have missed while mowing.
- Mark out the path you'll cut along with a rope or hose. Take a long piece of rope or section of hose and lay it out along the path you'll be edging. Leave a space of about between your marker and the edge of the sidewalk or flower bed. When you're trimming the grass, you'll aim the edger's blade for that patch of exposed grass.[7]
- Marking out the path will help keep you on track while you cut trim the edges. Once you've edged the lawn 3 or 4 times and have gotten some experience, you won't need to mark the path.
- Remove large roots and other obstacles from the path you'll edge. Before you begin to edge around your lawn or flower bed, take a walk along the path your just marked and pull up any rocks, stones, or other firm obstacles. A rock could easily dent or damage the blade of your edger, so make sure the path is clear before you start trimming the grass.
- If you're edging along a well-manicured yard, there probably won't be stray rocks. However, there could be rocks if you're trimming near a sidewalk or vegetable patch.
- Also make sure you aren't going to be digging where there are power or water lines or where there needs to be manhole access to sewer pipes.
[Edit]Edging Your Lawn - Position the edge of your tool right against the cement. You want the edger to always be within about of the edge of the lawn, flower bed, or vegetable patch you're edging around. If you veer off course while you're edging and come more than away, you'll end up cutting a eyesore of a line through the grass.[8]
- This is where your marking will come in handy. Follow the guide closely and you'll cut right along the edge of the lawn!
- Press the blade down with your foot for a manual edger. If you're using a manual edger, use your leg strength to push the blade down into the soil. Hold the stick firmly and set your foot on the edger tool. Push down with your foot to cut through the soil, and rock the blade gently to cut through the turf. It's also helpful to pry the cut area open slightly by twisting the blade a little to the right and left. This lets you see the line you just cut.[9]
- Then, pick up the blade and move it a few inches, and make your next incision.
- Turn on the engine and walk slowly forward with a motorized edger. If you're using a gas or electric edging tool, turn on the engine to activate the cutting blades. Walk slowly forward as the tool cuts into the ground, and make sure to cut along the exact path that you marked out earlier. Engage your core muscles as you push to maintain control over the edger.[10]
- It's important to walk slowly, especially the first few times you use a lawn edger. The faster you walk, the more likely you are to inadvertently wobble or go off course.
- Cut about deep to maintain an even cut. When you're new to landscape edging, aiming for a deep channel is a good rule of thumb. A line of this depth will be deep enough to control the spread of grass roots, but not deep enough to be easily visible and disrupt the appearance of the lawn.[11]
- Most motorized lawn edging tools will have a knob or switch you can adjust to change the depth to which the blade cuts.
- If you're using a manual edger, of course, you can cut deeper than this. There's not much reason to dig a deeper line, though; you're only trying to clear grass away from the edge of the yard, not dig a trench.
- Clear away cut grass and check that you're edging straight. Every , take a quick break to brush the trimmings off of the line you just cut. Once the line is clearly visible, check to make sure that the line is straight and that you haven't deviated at all from the path you marked out earlier.[12]
- If you're edging through heavy brush or undergrowth, you could use a strong rake to clear a lot of debris off at once.
- Trim back the grass on the edges of the lawn with hand shears. Once you've cut along the entire edge of the lawn or flower bed, all that you need to do is to trim up any long, unkempt grass blades. Go along the route that you just edged, and use a pair of hand shears to cut back the grass so it fades into the lawn. This will give the edge a natural, groomed look.[13]
- If you don't have a pair of hand shears, you could also use an electric weed whacker or lawn trimmer.
- Edgers are commonly used to cut the grass along the edge of a sidewalk. Large lawnmowers typically cannot trim the right next to the sidewalk, but an edger can easily trim this grass.
- It's best to edge around the outskirts of your lawn or flower bed when the ground is fairly moist, as it will be easier to cut through than dry earth. If you live in a cold climate, avoid edging your beds in winter when the ground is likely to be frozen hard and difficult to work.
- Avoid marking your edging path with spray paint. While some people use paint, it can create a problem if you accidentally spray along the wrong patch of grass or if the wind blows the spray away.[14]
[Edit]References |
| How to Help a Suicidal Friend Posted: 10 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT Having a friend who you believe to be considering suicide is not to be taken lightly. Being suicidal is a temporary state that appears as an answer to severe depression, and the act of taking one's own life is preventable when the correct measures are taken.[1] As a friend, you can potentially save a life by paying attention to warning signs of suicide (in addition to the ones you already know about), making your friend feel supported, and knowing when and how to get outside help. If your friend is in immediate danger call 911, or 1-800-SUICIDE to talk to professionals and access necessary resources. [Edit]Recognizing the Signs - Spot patterns of suicidal thought.[2] The most important part of prevention is recognition of warning signs. Suicidal thoughts usually include two or more of the following patterns:[3]
- Frequent dwelling on a thought obsessively
- Believing that there is no hope, and no way to end the pain other than committing suicide.
- Viewing life as meaningless, or out of control.
- Feeling as though one's brain is in a fog that makes concentration difficult
- Recognize suicidal emotions. Many emotional changes accompany suicidal thought, and the following changes are common warning signs[4]:
- Extreme mood swings
- Feelings of loneliness and isolation, even in the presence of others
- Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, self-hatred, and the sense that no one cares.
- Becoming sad, withdrawn, tired, apathetic, anxious, irritable, or prone to angry outbursts.
- Watch for suggestive comments. Be alert to statements that echo the patterns of thoughts and feelings that accompany suicidality. The following are common to hear from a suicidal person[5]:
- "Life isn't worth living."
- "You (or another friend or family member) would be better off without me."
- "Don't worry, I won't be around to deal with that."
- "You'll be sorry when I'm gone."
- "I won't be in your way much longer."
- "I just can't deal with everything — what's the point?"
- "I won't be a burden much longer."
- "There's nothing I can do to change anything."
- "I'd be better off dead."
- "I feel like there is no way out."
- "I never should have been born".
- Be wary of sudden improvement in mood. Many people who go through with suicide do so when they appear to be feeling significantly better than they have been.[6] You may be seeing the peaceful resoluteness of making the decision to end their life, and should take preventative steps immediately.
- Notice unusual behavior. You can observe many behavioral changes in suicidal individuals. If you see at least a few of the following, you may have cause for concern.[7]:
- Declining performance in school, work, or other activities (or occasionally the opposite, filling up time with extra duties and responsibilities)
- Social isolation
- Little or no interest in sex, friends, or previously enjoyable activities
- Carelessness about personal welfare and deteriorating physical appearance
- Alterations in either direction in sleeping or eating habits. Look for extremes like self-starvation, poor dietary management, or inattention to medical orders (especially in the elderly)
- Drastic changes to established routines.
- Lethargy and withdrawal.
- Recognize signs of suicide planning.[8] Having a plan already in place can mean that a successful attempt could happen soon. Watch for all of the following actions:[9]
- Tying up loose ends (i.e. saying goodbye to loved ones, giving away valuable belongings, arranging finances)
- Making reckless or passive decisions about important things
- Gathering the means to commit suicide, like pill bottles, medications, and weapons
[Edit]Talking to your Suicidal Friend - Set a comfortable scene. Talking about possible suicide can be a very tense subject, especially for your friend who may also have feelings of guilt and shame associated with their suffering. Initiate a conversation without the presence of distractions. Choose a relaxed and familiar environment if possible.
- Broach the issue of suicide. The following are good questions that you can use to start the conversation:[10]
- "How are you coping with what's been happening in your life?"
- "Do you ever feel like just giving up?"
- "Do you think often about dying?"
- "Are you considering hurting yourself?"
- "Are you thinking about suicide?"
- "Have you ever tried to harm yourself before?"
- Speak clearly and openly. Be as specific as possible to avoid sounding accusatory. For example, instead of saying something like "You always talk about how impossible everything is", try detailed observations like "I have noticed in the past few months that things you used to enjoy, like spending time with your kids, does not seem to improve your mood much."
- Openly embrace the topic as another way to show how much you care. If you are direct about your concern, you will give off a sense of a justified sense of urgency.
- It is a common myth that bringing up suicide will put the idea into a person's mind. In fact, speaking openly about suicide can help your friend realize that there are other options available.[11]
- Stay on topic as best you can. Your friend might try to dismiss your concern by looking at you with confusion or making you feel silly for bringing it up. But, don't be afraid to be persistent in your concern--especially in light of recognizing warning signs.
- Avoid stigmatizing suicide.[12] Keep an open mind that does not judge the friend's feelings or decisions. You may think your friend is incorrect in their reasoning or that their situation is not bad enough that they should want to commit suicide. However, understand that you can't fully understand.
- The belief that suicide is selfish, crazy, or morally defective is widely circulated in our culture. Be aware that suicidality is the result of a treatable condition for which your friend is not at fault.[13]
- Stay away from statements that can hurt. It's easy to think that we can help by offering our perspectives or opinion, but this isn't always the case. Be sure to avoid the following responses:
- Statements that dismiss feelings, like "things aren't really that bad."
- Superficial comments that prompt feelings of shame and isolation, like "you have so much to live for," or "think about how much your suicide will hurt your family and friends."
- Instead, show compassion by saying, "things must really be awful if you are feeling that way."
- Listen empathically. Let your talk be an opportunity for your friend to feel loved and supported. Try as best you can to non-judgmentally listen to your friend, putting yourself in their shoes. This will help you accept their feelings with warm, personal understanding. Make eye contact and use body language to show that you are really there to listen.[14]
- Let them talk for as long as they need. Even if you can think of many words of encouragement or reasons why they should cheer up, hold off. Create space for your friend to express themselves without cutting in to give your own opinion.
- Validate feelings. It can be hard to come out and express feelings that you don't expect others to understand. Make your friend feel less alone by showing understanding and affirmation of these feelings.[15]
- Relay how much you care. Emotional support is a powerful suicide deterrent. Let your friend know that they are loved, thought about, and is an important part of your life. Project an attitude of respect and love to your friend throughout the conversation.
- This is your opportunity to tell your friend your perspective. Mention that suicide is a permanent solution to a solvable problem and that you and others are more than willing to help realize other possibilities.
[Edit]Preventing a Friend's Suicide - Ask about means for self-harm. See if your friend has access to weapons or other methods for committing suicide. Try to ask without sounding patronizing or judgmental. This is an important question, since having a plan means the situation may be even more pressing than you may have believed.[16]
- Eliminate potential means.[17] All guns should be removed from your friend's home. Using a gun is the most common method of committing suicide, and attempts are more likely to lead to deaths in homes with guns.[18] Also, be sure to throw out all prescription and nonprescription medicines that are not currently being used.
- If your friend is taking prescription medication, you may want to offer to keep it for them and give doses as needed.
- Request to be actively involved. Make an agreement with your friend that they will inform you if they are tempted to move forward with the act. Inform them of the actions you will take to carry out your part of the agreement, like calling for professional help. Absolutely do not make any commitments to your suicidal friend that you cannot keep for certain.
- Before doing this, ask yourself about the reality of how much you can manage to get involved, knowing that involvement can be a drain on emotions and time.
- Help gather resources. Know about support groups in the area, as well as information that will help you get a better sense of what drives people to suicide so that you can be as supportive as possible.
- There are many support groups available online and in-person. Search here for groups that address various problems that can contribute to suicidal feelings and provide information about other resources.[19]
- Be attentive. If your friend is at high, immediate risk for suicide, do not leave them alone until professional help arrives. Make sure that you or someone else stays with them at all times.[20]
- Offer ongoing support. This can include time to talk and check in on how your friend is feeling or devoting more time to shared hobbies and activities. This sort of support will help your friend feel important to someone while they are recovering from the depression that causes suicidal thoughts.
[Edit]Soliciting Outside Help - Call 911. If your concern for your friend is immediate, do not hesitate to call 911. Do not try to handle suicide threats on your own, and absolutely do not assume that a friend talking about harming themselves is not serious.[21]
- Call a suicide hotline.[22]A suicidal person needs immediate assistance from qualified mental health professionals. Again, call 911, 1-800-SUICIDE, or 1-800-273-TALK to avoid the need for you or other untrained individuals to act as the sole counselors to your friend.
- Suggest therapy. Having regular sessions with a therapist about suicidal thoughts, feelings, and what triggers them can help prevent suicide attempts in depressed individuals. And, for those who have already attempted suicide, talk therapy can reduce risks of subsequent attempts by up to 50%.[23]
- Inform others on a need-to-know basis. Enlist the help of other important people in your friend's life. If others are aware of the problem they will be able to be sensitive and stay on the lookout for warning signs. Make sure you only inform others of your friend's risk for suicide if you think they are capable of helping.[24]
- Make sure you're coping, too. Playing a helping role in such a serious matter can be exhausting, stressful, and also frustrating. Make an effort to ensure that your own physical and emotional needs are being met. Talking about your feelings to people you trust will help you process the situation and understand your experience.[25]
- Be careful when calling law enforcement. They are trained to protect others and themselves with lethal force if necessary. If the individual you are with has a tendency for violence or angry outbursts, a suicide by cop situation could occur.
- Here are some more suicide hotline resources.
- Consider taking a safeTALK course to learn more about having an open conversation, or an ASSIST course for helping a suicidal individual.
[Edit]Warnings - Be aware that committing your friend involuntarily should only be a last resort used if you see the person using actual violence towards themselves or towards others.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
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