Suicide

Suicide Susan Schwarzkopf SJVC Online English 122 D1 Patricia Vineski August 28, 2015

Suicide

Suicide

A suicide attempt is a clear indication that something is gravely wrong in a person’s life. No matter the race or age of the person; how rich or poor they are, it is true that most people who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. The most common underlying disorder is depression, 30% to 70% of suicide victims suffer from major depression or bipolar disorder (SAVE “suicide facts at a glance” 2/25/14 www.SAVE.org/index.cfm).

There are several signs that means a person is considering suicide and may need help. Those signs include: Verbal suicide threats such as, “You’d be better off without me.” Or “Maybe I won’t be around”, Expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, previous suicide attempts, Daring or risk-taking behavior, Personality changes, Depression, Giving away prized possessions, Lack of interest in future plans. Eight out of ten people considering suicide give some sign of their intentions. People who talk about suicide, threaten suicide, or call suicide crisis centers are 30 times more likely than average to kill themselves. There are some resources to contact are if you are someone you know is thinking about committing suicide. Telephone hotlines, clergy, medical professionals and law enforcement agencies are all there to help anyone(USA.GOV”suicide facts at a glance” 2/25/14 www.CDC.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicide). Suicide has been the subject of increasing study in recent years, as psychologists struggle to understand the reasons that people choose to take their own lives. Two questions in such studies concern the gender of the person committing suicide and the method chosen for doing so. The two questions are : 1. Do women commit suicide at a higher rate than men or is it the other way around? 2. Are there differences by gender in the method used? For males a recent study showed that 13,959 used guns, 3,148 used some type of poison, 3,222 used hanging and 1,457 used some kind of other method. Total males 21,786. For females 2,641 used guns, 2,469 used some type of poison, 709 used hanging and 690 used some kind of other method. Total females 6,509. There is 1 suicide for every 25 attempted suicides. Males make up 79% of all suicides while women are more prone to having suicidal thoughts. 1 in 65,000 children ages 10-
14 commit suicide each year. That’s very alarming to me. There are 2 times as many deaths due to suicide than hiv/aids. Over 50% of all suicides are completed with a firearm. In the U.S. suicide rates are at it’s highest during the springtime. Each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people they know. About 2/3 of people who complete suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths. Depression that is untreated, undiagnosed, or ineffectively treated is the number one cause of suicide(Ahmedani, Brian”racial/ethnic differences in healthcare visits made before suicide attempt across the united states” medical care may 2015).

People who try to commit suicide are often trying to get away from a life situation that seems impossible to deal with. Many who make a suicide attempt are seeking relief from a lot of different causes. Some causes are: Feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others, Feeling like a victim, Feelings of rejection, loss, or loneliness. Suicidal behaviors may occur when there is a situation or event that the person finds overwhelming. Aging (the elderly have the highest rate of suicide), Death of a loved one, Dependence on drugs or alcohol, Emotional trauma, Serious physical illness, Unemployment or money problems. Relatives of people who attempt or commit suicide often blame themselves or become very angry. They may see the suicide attempt as selfish. However, people who try to commit suicide often mistakenly believe that they are