Amrita Tripathi, New Delhi: There’s one suicide reported in the country every five minutes. And one in every three suicides is committed by a person between the age group of 15 to 29 years.

What's even more alarming is that myths about suicide might be preventing us from helping.

"The first biggest myth is that people believe that if someone is talking about suicide or about harming themselves, they will not do it. It is absolutely incorrect because research indicates that most people who end up killing themselves have at some point shared with a person around them that that's a thought they have," says psychologist Arpita Anand.

As a parent, or friend, you need to be on the lookout for signs that someone needs help. Whether it's deliberate self-harm, or a change in behaviour, a change in sleep patterns or appetite, or maybe just an increase in irritability and anger.

Doctors advice that one must also listen up for statements of helplessness and hopelessness.

"People, who have a definite plan of how they're going to do it, when they're going to do it, are most likely to end their life. So any strange objects that are not usually a part and parcel of that person's environment because they could reflect a concern," says Anand.

So even if you feel like things are slipping out of control, the important thing is to give yourself some time and the option to get help. It might just be the most important decision you make. And if you don't feel like talking to family or friends, you could speak to trained counsellors, anonymously by just calling a helpline.