by marquis lee

11 facts about suicide

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 16:46:00 UTC

Nearly 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year.
In the U.S., suicide rates are highest during the spring.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds and second for 24- to 35-year-olds.
On average, one person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes.
Each suicide intimately affects at least six other people.
About two-thirds 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.
There is one suicide for every 25 attempted suicides.
Males make up 79 percent of all suicides, while women are more prone to having suicidal thoughts.
1 in 65,000 children ages 10 to 14 commit suicide each year.
There are twice as many deaths due to suicide than HIV/AIDS.
More than half of all suicides are completed with a firearm.

How to Help Someone who is Suicidal

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 16:51:03 UTC

A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn't mean that help isn't wanted. Most people who commit suicide don't want to die—they just want to stop hurting. Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously. If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, you might be afraid to bring up the subject. But talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life.

Suicide and suicidal behavior

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 16:55:52 UTC

Causes

Suicide and suicidal behaviors usually occur in people with one or more of the following:

Bipolar disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Depression
Drug or alcohol dependence
Schizophrenia
Stressful life issues, such as serious financial or relationship problems

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:

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, such as:

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

Risk factors for suicide in teenagers include:

Access to guns
Family member who committed suicide
History of hurting themselves on purpose
History of being neglected or abused
Living in communities where there have been recent outbreaks of suicide in young people
Romantic breakup

Symptoms

Often, but not always, a person may show certain symptoms or behaviors before a suicide attempt, including:

Having trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
Giving away belongings
Talking about going away or the need to "get my affairs in order"
Suddenly changing behavior, especially calmness after a period of anxiety
Losing interest in activities they used to enjoy
Performing self-destructive behaviors, such as heavily drinking alcohol, using illegal drugs, or cutting their body
Pulling away from friends or not wanting to go out
Suddenly having trouble in school or work
Talking about death or suicide, or even saying that they want to hurt themselves
Talking about feeling hopeless or guilty
Changing sleep or eating habits
Arranging ways to take their own life (such as buying a gun or many pills)

Treatment

People who are at risk for suicidal behavior may not seek treatment for many reasons, including:

They believe nothing will help
They do not want to tell anyone they have problems
They think asking for help is a sign of weakness
They do not know where to go for help

A person may need emergency treatment after a suicide attempt. They may need first aid, CPR, or more intensive treatments.

People who try to commit suicide may need to stay in a hospital for treatment and to reduce the risk of future attempts. Therapy is one of the most important parts of treatment.

Preventing Youth Suicide

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 17:06:29 UTC

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth between 10 and 19 years of age. However, suicide is preventable. Youth who are contemplating suicide frequently give warning signs of their distress. Parents, teachers, and friends are in a key position to pick up on these signs and get help. Most important is to never take these warning signs lightly or promise to keep them secret. When all adults and students in the school community are committed to making suicide prevention a priority—and are empowered to take the correct actions—we can help youth before they engage in behavior with irreversible consequences.

The Role of the School in Suicide Prevention

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 17:07:55 UTC

Children and adolescents spend a substantial part of their day in school under the supervision of school personnel. Effective suicide and violence prevention is integrated with supportive mental health services, engages the entire school community, and is imbedded in a positive school climate through student behavioral expectations and a trustful student/adult relationship. Therefore, it is crucial for all school staff to be familiar with and watchful for risk factors and warning signs of suicidal behavior. The entire school staff should work to create an environment where students feel safe sharing such information. School psychologists and other crisis team personnel, including the school counselor and school administrator, are trained to intervene when a student is identified at risk for suicide. These individuals conduct suicide risk assessment, warn/inform parents, provide recommendations and referrals to community services, and often provide follow up counseling and support at school.

Parents pay attention to your children.

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 17:09:47 UTC

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 17:12:02 UTC

mlee002 — 2014-03-07 17:12:45 UTC