First, I would like to express my condolence to every family that lost a loved one to suicide. Professionally and personally, I know how painful it is to lose a loved one, no matter what the cause or reason.
After several years of research, training, and professional experience on the topic of depression and suicide, I am still appalled by the high number of teenagers, young adults, and senior citizens struggling with depression who go unnoticed before committing suicide.
According to a fact sheet on “national statistics” compiled by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “More than 33,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year.”
Some people only become aware of the rate of suicide within their society or environment after the loss of a loved one or news report of a celebrity. Among small segments of our population there are members that claim to have become immune to news about suicide after the events of September 11 (9/11) widely reported to have been caused by terrorists trained to carry out militaristic suicide missions. Many believe that the almost daily news reports of terrorist suicide bombings over shadows reports of suicides occurring within American families unless it is committed by a celebrity then broadcast widely on television.
Historically, in Japan, Seppuku or hara-kiri as a ritual form of suicide by disembowelment on a sword by a samurai was accepted as a time-honored tradition as an alternative to living with disgrace or shame. A practice scorn upon by most Americans, even though we live in a society where we witness on almost a daily basis, some form of suicide being reported. In addition to the terrorist related suicide bombings there are what many refer to as assisted suicide for mercy, which involves a loved one or medical doctor ending the life of someone who is terminally ill to relieve chronic stress, pain and suffering. Of course, many believe mercy-killing is murder regardless of the rationale.
Amid numerous conversations about suicide, a frequently asked question, “Why?” Why do people kill themselves? More recently, many are observing the increasing number of families being destroyed by murder-suicide. The most appalling question asked, “Why would any parent kill their child?” Like the record number of suicides during the 1920′s depression era, many believed the escalating murder-suicides within many American families are due to the current economic recession. As a professional social worker and family therapist for many years, I am aware of several reasons given by clients, including drug addiction, family dysfunctions, postpartum depression/psychosis, schizophrenia, and other forms of undiagnosed mental illnesses.
Suicide is fastly becoming a major cause of deaths among teenagers, young adults, and a growing number of senior citizens. It has been estimated by the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) for each teenaged suicide death, there are at least 10 other teenaged suicide attempts. Most reports do not reflect the number of unreported attempts nor the number of death certificates which report some deaths as accidental rather than suicide. According to the NIMH, it has been estimated that teenaged girls are more likely to attempt suicide, and teenaged boys have a higher rate of actually killing themselves.
Despite the large number of prevention and treatment programs available throughout the United States, more information is required. The primary focus on the subject should consist of an educational format for families to gain a greater understanding of mental health, suicidal prevention, symptoms, and warning signs.
Far too many families have reported a total lack of awareness about a family member or their child’s struggles with mental illness before a suicide attempt or actual suicide. For a child or family member struggling with mental illness, the NIMH recommends the following warning signs for suicide prevention:
- Depression or feelings of loneliness or helplessness
- Drug addiction or alcoholism
- Recent loss, such as death, breakups, or parents’ divorce, illness, unemployment, or disability.
- Low self-esteem, isolation, and erratic behavior.
There are numerous treatments and prevention programs located throughout America. Most can simply be reached by dialing 911 for help in your local district.
What do you think? Let’s talk.
For further reading:
Depression: Are You A Survivor?
Tags: Mental Health, mental illness, Suicide
