5 Things You Should Know – Part 318

Here are 5 things you should know.

1. You can make it illegal for telemarketers to call you.

The countries all have different rules, however, they are mostly similar:

You can only register a home or mobile phone
Once you do so, telemarketers have 30 (or so) days before it is completely illegal for them to call you, punishable by fine
Some charities, political organizations, research companies, and educational institutions are exempt from this (depending on the country)
This does extend to overseas businesses

Here are some countries that have one:

Your number is essentially added to a list that telemarketers are legally required to check against when they make calls, meaning, after adding your number, you shouldn’t receive any more telemarketing calls. If they still call, you can report them to the relevant authority.

2. There is a website where you can look up any physician to see if and how much they are compensated by drug or implant companies.

Go to: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/

Type in their name and click search.

3. Sand is a non-renewable resource.

Here’s an interesting article on sand mining and it’s eco-impact:

https://e360.yale.edu/features/the-hidden-environmental-toll-of-mining-the-worlds-sand

4. Here are the signs that someone is suicidal.

People often slip through the cracks when it comes to this. It’s baffling how many times you hear the family or friends of someone say “But they were so happy! We never knew!” It’s important to know these things, especially for the sake of your friends or children.

Giving away possessions or passwords.
Suddenly being happy/positive after a bad depressive episode.
An overabundance of suicide jokes/gestures (i.e. putting a finger gun to the head or miming cutting the wrists).
Isolation and ghosting.
A flurry of messages, whether by mouth, phone, email, etc. of how much you mean to them.
Changing language (ex. saying “goodbye” instead of the usual “see you later”).
Dangerous behavior (if I die, I die).
Hopeless responses to questions (ex. When asked: “Are you okay?” They answer “I don’t know”).
Trying to push loved ones away by being mean.
Talking excessively about death.
Disassociating or appearing to be “spaced out”.
Suddenly treating their loved ones to fun dates and experiences in order to make final good memories.
Self-harm.
Nihilistic responses (i.e. “Nothing matters anymore”).
The sharp decline in mental health (not eating, not smiling, being tired, etc.).
Asking how you’d feel if they suddenly disappeared.
Lack of hygiene.
Self-deprecating language and behavior.
Sleeping all day or not sleeping at all.
Thanking loved ones for being there, supporting them, etc.
Asking questions about death (ex. “How many Tylenol do you think would kill someone?”)
Suddenly becoming extremely depressed.
Being caught with pills/a knife/etc. in their room (this one is for your kids. Take this very, very seriously).
Refusing to accept that things will be better or that someone cares about them.
Apologizing suddenly for any past altercations as if they want to end things on a positive note.
Not being interested in anything anymore. This includes hobbies, the future, others’ concerns, religion, and more.
Crying a lot.
Apathy (feeling nothing).

If you think someone might be suicidal, ASK them if they are. Ask them straight up if they’re having suicidal thoughts. Be there for them, let them know you can be a shoulder to cry on, and most importantly, believe them when they tell you they’re struggling.