Üsküdar University Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated in the “Suicide Prevention and Psychosocial Support” Seminar organized by the Social Services and Health Department of the Istanbul Provincial Police Department. Drawing attention to the fundamental emotions that drive people to suicide, Tarhan stated that suicide cases have been a global issue in security organizations in recent years. Noting that despair and pessimism lie behind suicidal thoughts, Tarhan emphasized the significant importance of professional awareness efforts. Tarhan stressed that people's mental health can be strengthened with positive psychology against suicides, which he described as an extension of depression.
Üsküdar University Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan met with security forces working within the General Directorate of Security. The online event discussed what can be done to prevent suicide cases.
“Suicide cases are a global issue in security organizations in recent years”
Speaking about the fundamental emotions that drive people to suicide, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said; “Suicide cases have been a global issue in security organizations in recent years. There are many reasons for this. There is the impact of occupational stress and trauma. There are psychological, social, and economic factors. Most commonly, in addition to workload, there is exposure to traumatic events such as violence, death, and accidents. We encounter cases on the verge of suicide. We see that leadership problems are very prominent in these individuals. That is, there are leadership problems in their workplace. If there is oppressive leadership, it increases stress. Group stress develops. Individuals experience stress. Some people cannot manage their stress and start saying, 'Life is empty, meaningless,' or if there is indifferent leadership, the employee's trust in the workplace weakens. When trust weakens, people become anxious about the future. They feel somewhat threatened. Introversion emerges.”
A leader who can recognize precursor symptoms can also prevent suicides…
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Tarhan drew attention to the precursor symptoms of suicide; “In leadership, there is transformative leadership. It reduces stress. Transformative leaders take individuals into the group, transform them to a good point, and conduct their work in a leadership style that cares for every capillary of the entire group. That is, not in an authoritarian leadership style by confronting them. In our culture, there is a leadership style that has been passed down for centuries. An authoritarian leadership style, a commanding leadership style, a giving orders style. In the workplace, too, such authoritarian roles that have been passed down for centuries emerge. There are precursor symptoms of suicide. If the leader recognizes these precursor symptoms, it becomes easy to take precautions. The ability to recognize these precursor symptoms is similar to thinking of a flock and a shepherd. When he glances at the flock and sees a limping, drooping-headed, sick sheep, he immediately takes it and cares for it. In such a case, incidents in that flock are fewer. Similarly, a leader must be dominant over the people he manages. The precursor symptoms of suicide are as follows;
Precursor symptoms of suicide…
- The person starts to withdraw,
- Engages in risky behaviors,
- Uses substances,
- Uses dangerous tools/vehicles,
- Neglects self-care,
- Starts giving away belongings,
- Starts acting as if preparing for a long journey,
- Has a disturbed sleep pattern,
- Lives without a plan,
- Accumulates medication. All of these are symptoms of suicide,” he stated.
Suicide attempts are much more frequent in individuals who feel alone!
Tarhan also made evaluations on how to approach someone with suicidal thoughts; “Most early symptoms are feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt. For example, if they say these things, be very careful. They say things like, 'I don't want to live anymore, it would be better if I died. Life has lost its meaning. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. I wish everything would end. The world would be better without me.' They make jokes like, 'You won't see me again.' It is necessary to take these seriously and, in such situations, instead of confronting them and asking why they are committing suicide, one should talk to them calmly in a conversation. Suicide attempts are much more frequent in individuals who feel alone…” he stated.
Behind it lies despair and pessimism…
Reminding that leaders' dominance over the group can prevent suicidal behavior, Tarhan said; “Stress is twofold. There is individual stress and group stress. In group stress, there are frequent visits/rounds. Besides frequent visits, discussions also increase. In management, as you know, different people proceed in a similar manner. If there is a leadership that says, 'Everyone will think like me, everyone will be like me,' this is totalitarian leadership. This leadership style is not valid in military culture or police security culture. We will accept people as they are, but we will make the goal one. And we will ensure that they act in a similar fashion. This requires vision work. Supervisors and managers in leadership positions must dominate the team. When they dominate the team, they can easily catch clues related to suicide. They check if there is a personality change. If a personality change lasts more than three days, it is considered risky behavior. There are also emotional symptoms such as hopelessness and pessimism. Behind suicidal thoughts lies hopelessness and pessimism. There are feelings of worthlessness and guilt…” he explained.
“Where there is teamwork, group stress does not occur”
Stating that the profession can be performed better when the leader is trusted, Tarhan said; “Where there is teamwork, group stress does not occur. Individual problems are resolved within the group in some way. Security is as important in internal security as it is in external security. That is, people being able to trust their leader enables them to perform their profession better. The policing profession is one that constantly monitors evils, interrogates crimes, and investigates them in the field. This profession is truly difficult. Those who enter this profession also receive special training. Police academies are currently providing excellent training. They provide theoretical training, but practical training is also learned through a master-apprentice relationship. It is learned in the field. Therefore, it is important for seniors to be able to help the young here.”
“Those who manage to stay positive do not fall into pessimism, do not feel alone”
Stating that they strengthen people's mental health with positive psychology, Tarhan said; “There are existential suicides. These suicides are in the nature of intellectual crisis. That is, if a person says, 'I have tasted everything in life, I have experienced everything. Nothing has meaning. There is no point in me living anymore,' then there is an intellectual crisis. This situation is especially seen in individuals with low spirituality. There is currently a suicide epidemic in the West. In England, the death rate among young people aged 16-24 is higher due to suicide than accidents. The death rate by suicide has increased. Against the suicide epidemic, Bristol University introduced positive psychology courses. As Üsküdar University, we have been offering positive psychology courses since 2013. Instead of saying 'do this, don't do that,' we work to strengthen people's mental health. We strengthen positive aspects without dealing with the negative. Because those who manage to stay positive do not fall into hopelessness or pessimism, they do not feel alone. Even when they hit rock bottom, they can see threats as opportunities. In positive psychology, we teach people to uncover the positive aspects within negative events and use them towards their goals and purposes.”
We are not a society that will collapse or disintegrate due to economic traumas!
Tarhan stated that problems can be solved by strengthening the psychological immune system; “More important than informational conferences about suicide is strengthening their positive immune system, their psychological immune system. Just as if the immune system is strong in an internal disease, the body defeats the disease itself. We have a psychological immune system. When we strengthen a person's psychological defenses, increase their ego strength, and develop their psychological resources, the person overcomes the problem themselves, and there is no need for others. This is currently used worldwide. If we make this training a part of routine education, rest assured, we will have happier employees, and losses will decrease. Suicides and deaths will decrease. That is, visits for related illnesses will decrease. In fact, Anatolian wisdom also recommends this. If we combine our culture with science, we can easily solve many problems. There is no need to be hopeless or pessimistic. There are economic difficulties, occupational difficulties, but these are not insurmountable difficulties. The economy has occasionally gone into crisis and recovered, but to state this as the only reason would be to deceive ourselves. Our society is a trauma society, a society accustomed to trauma. Therefore, we are not a society that will collapse or disintegrate due to economic traumas. Let's not be hopeless or pessimistic.”
One who does not fall into despair always has a way out…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, speaking about the significant importance of professional awareness efforts, said; “Generally, there are informational training sessions. Beyond informational training, the most important thing here is conducting professional awareness activities. For example, working on awareness about suicide symptoms in individuals, providing information about intervention methods. That is, years ago, the World Health Organization sent a suicide prevention project to all world Parliaments regarding suicide prevention, and the university emphasized this suicide prevention project. These projects can be implemented. Crisis hotlines can be established. If there are suicides on bridges, suicide prevention lines can be established there. That is, in such a situation, what the assigned colleagues there will do can be determined. There are special ambulances, special training. Special efforts are made to persuade them, and instilling hope is very important. Alternative solutions must be offered. A person who does not fall into despair always has a way out. Because our brain is programmed accordingly. Those who are not hopeless or pessimistic can always find a way out.”
Suicide is an extension of depression…
Drawing attention to the four points made in the assessment of suicide, Tarhan said; “The phenomenon of suicide is an extension of depression. There are studies conducted on cerebrospinal fluid in depression. In the 1980s, cerebrospinal fluid was taken from normal deaths and suicide deaths. In deaths by suicide, the serotonin metabolite substance in the cerebrospinal fluid is 15 times less. No one commits suicide out of the blue. Crisis suicides are rare. That is, when we make an assessment regarding suicide, we look at these four points: 'Suicidal thought, suicidal desire, suicidal intent, and suicidal plan.' If these exist, thought alone is not enough. Thought, intent, desire, plan, and then the attempt emerges. If there have been past attempts, those are severe cases. A person may talk about death but have no intention of dying. Talking about death is one thing, wanting to die is another. Therefore, everyone must consider the possibility of suicide in their mental map.”
