September 2007

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A Matter of Life or Death

We did not dare to breathe a prayer
Or give our anguish scope,
For something died in each of us
And what had died was hope.

The fact is that some of us, or someone we know, can identify with those words penned by Oscar Wilde.

Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 32,000 lives annually. It crosses all ethnic, social, economic, and age boundaries. While four times as many men die by suicide as women, women are three times more likely to make a suicide attempt. Increasing the concern is that individuals who have a history of suicide attempts are often at greater risk for repeated attempts or dying by suicide. And, like their adult counterparts, more adolescent males die by suicide and adolescent females make more attempts. Among young people ages 15-42, suicide is the third leading cause of death.

Just as individuals are unique so are the factors contributing to thoughts of suicide. Many times suicidal thoughts are related to a crisis situation – one in which the individual does not believe he/she is capable of handling. Therefore, suicide is not as much about dying as it is about escaping an uncontrollable or intolerable situation. Shame, stigma, or lack of adequate resources can inhibit an individual from seeking help when they are in a crisis situation. For example, the treatment of depression is effective 60-80% of the time. However, according to the World Health Organization, less than 25% of persons with depression receive adequate treatment.

Approximately 80% of individuals who die by suicide communicate their intent. Ninety percent of adolescents communicate their intent to a peer. It is important to note that talking about suicide does not cause someone to be suicidal. Most of us probably recognize the “warning signs,” but may not be aware of the gravity of the signs or what steps we should take to help.

Warning signs include:

• Hopelessness
• Helplessness
• Uncontrolled anger/rage
• Violence towards self or others
• Withdrawing/isolation
• Loss of interest in usual pursuits
• Anxiety
• Dramatic mood changes
• Marked changes in eating and/or sleeping habits
• Increased use of drugs of alcohol
• Feeling trapped
• Feeing like a burden to others
• Lack of purpose
• Talking about wanting to die/making plans to die

What to do if you think someone is considering suicide:

• Express your concern
• Ask if he/she is thinking about suicide
• Be willing to listen attentively
• Be non-judgmental
• Seek additional support from family, friends, and/or professionals
• Explore available alternatives
• Don’t act shocked
• Don’t minimize their pain
• Don’t be sworn to secrecy
• Get help from individuals and/or agencies that work in the field of crisis intervention and suicide prevention

It has been said that, “Suicide does not end the pain, it merely lays it on the shoulders of those left behind.” It is estimated that for every individual who dies by suicide at least six people (survivors) are directly effected by that death. Those survivors not only suffer the devastation of a loss of a loved one to suicide, but are also at risk for suicidal thoughts and/or attempts. Currently many communities have suicide survivor support groups. Lists of those groups can be found in the resources below.

If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Lifeline is available 24/7/365 to connect individuals in need to a trained worker at the nearest available crisis center.

There is help and there is hope.

Additional resources include:

• American Association of Suicidology (AAS) – Dedicated to the Understanding and prevention of suicide. www.suicidology.org
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – Dedicated to preventing suicide through research and education. www.afsp.org
• Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) – Created to raise awareness, build public will, and call for action in regards to advancing a national response to the problem of suicide. www.spanusa.org

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• Depression
• HIV and Depression
• Violence and Mental Health
• Mental Health for Girls
• Mental Health FAQ
  
  
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Content last updated August 1, 2007.