Suicide – What is Suicide?
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Suicide – What is Suicide?
Suicide is when people direct violence at themselves with the intent to in their lives, and they die because of their actions. It’s best to avoid the use of terms like “committing suicide” or a “successful suicide” when referring to a death by suicide as these terms often carry negative connotations.
A suicide attempt is when people themselves with the intent to end their lives, but they do not die because of their actions. Source
Risk of Suicide
Suicidal thoughts or behaviors are both damaging and dangerous and are therefore considered a psychiatric emergency. Someone experiencing these thoughts should seek immediate assistance from a health or mental health care provider. Having suicidal thoughts does that mean someone is weak or flawed.
Know The Warning Signs
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Threats or comments about killing themselves, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin with seemingly harmless thoughts like, “I wish I wasn’t here” but can become more overt and dangerous
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Increase alcohol and drug use
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Aggressive behavior
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Social withdrawal from friends, Family and the community
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Dramatic mood swings
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Talking, writing or thinking about death
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Impulsive or reckless behavior
Is There Imminent Danger?
Any person exhibiting these behaviors should get care immediately:
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Putting their affairs in order and giving away their possessions
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Saying goodbye to friends and family
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Mood shifts from despair to calm
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Planning, possibly by looking around to buy, steal or borrow the tools they need to complete suicide, such as a firearm or a prescription medication
Risk Factors for Suicide
Research has found that more than half of people (54%) who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. A number of other things may put a person at risk of suicide, including:
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Family history of suicide
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Substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol can result in mental highs and lows that exacerbate suicidal thoughts.
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Intoxication. More than one in three people who die from suicide are found to be currently under the influence.
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Access to firearms.
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A series of chronic medical illnesses
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Gender. Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to die by suicide.
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History of trauma or abuse.
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Prolonged stress.
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Isolation.
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Age. People under age 24 or above 65 are at a higher risk for suicide.
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A recent tragedy or Las.
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Agitation and Sleep Deprivation.
Do People Threaten Suicide to Get Attention?
Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of extreme distress and an alert that someone needs help. Any warning sign or symptom of suicide should not be ignored. I’ll talk of suicide should be taken seriously and requires attention. Threatening to die by suicide is not a normal response to stress and should not be taken lightly.
Why Do Some People Become Suicidal While Others With Similar Risk Factors Do not?
Most people who have the risk factor for suicide will not kill themselves. However, the risk for suicidal behavior is complex. Research suggests that people who attempt suicide may react to events, think, and make decisions differently than those who do not attempt to suicide. These differences happen more often if a person has a disorder such as depression, substance abuse, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and psychosis. Risk factors are important to keep in mind; however, someone who has warning signs of suicide may be in more danger and require immediate attention.
What If Someone Is Posting Suicidal Messages on Social Media?
Knowing how to get help for a friend posting suicidal messages on social media can save a life. Many social media sites have a process to report suicidal content and get help for the person posting the message. In addition, many of the social media sites use their analytical abilities to identify and help report suicidal posts. It offers different options on how to respond if you see concerning post about suicide. For example:
Facebook suicide prevention web page can’t be found at: www.facebook.com/help/
Instagram users are made of tools in the app to provide resources, which can also be found online at:
https://help.instagram.com [use the search term, “suicide,” self-injury,” or “suicide prevention”].
Snapchat’s support provides guidance at:
https://support.snapchat.com [use the search term, “Suicide” or “suicide prevention”]
Tumblr Counseling and prevention resources webpage can be found at: https://tumblr.zendesk.com [use the search term, “counseling” or “prevention”]
Twitter’s best practices in dealing with self harm and suicide at: https://support.twitter.com [use the search term, “suicide,” self-harm” or suicide prevention].
YouTube’s Safety Center Webpage can be found at https://support.google.com/
If you see messages or live streaming suicidal behavior and social media, call 911 or contact the toll-free national suicide prevention lifeline at one 800-273-talk (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text home to 741741) available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Source
How to Talk to Someone Who Is Suicidal
There are many myths about suicide, and one is the mistaken belief that talking about it to a person in danger encourages the act. If I love them and express his thoughts or plans of suicide, it’s essential to initiate a conversation. It is wise to approach the discussion by then a fine concrete resources such as a therapist or suicide prevention hotline, and to conclude the conversation with the stated commitment to follow up with the person over time.
Be direct with the person by asking the following questions:
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How are you coping with your challenges?
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How are you thinking about hurting yourself?
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Are you thinking about dying?
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Are you thinking about suicide?
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Have you come up with a plan for taking your own life?
What Is Suicide Contagion?
Suicide contagion is an increasing suicide attempts and completed suicides following exposure to a suicide in the media or one’s personal circle. The suicide of a prominent celebrity or a member of a specific community, such as the military or an elementary school, have been shown to correlate with a rise in suicide. Although many studies have reported the correlation, they cannot conclude that exposure caused the elevated rates.
Those who are especially susceptible to suicide contagion, also referred to as a copycat suicide, include adolescence, people who already struggle with suicidal thoughts, and people with mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The phenomenon may occur, in part, due to the tendency to learn from important or relevant figures and because the idea may be more prominent in one’s mind.
Suicide contagion can be curbed. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention issued media guidelines that many publications have adopted, such as not detailing the method used to kill oneself, not suggesting that the death was due to a simple reason or achieve the goals such as fame or revenge, and perhaps most important, listing resources to help those struggling.
Suicide Statistics
(Info graphic)
1 Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US
2 In 2017, 47,173 Americans died by suicide
3 In 2017, there were an estimated 1,400,000 suicide attempts
4 In 2015, suicide and self injury cost the US $69 billion
Additional facts about suicide in the US
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The age adjusted suicide rate in 2017 was 14.0 per 100,000 individuals.
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In 2017, men died by suicide 3.54x more often than women.
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Wake me up is accounted for 69.67% of suicide deaths in 2017.
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The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men in particular.
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An average, there are 129 suicide per day.
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In 2017, firearms accounted for 50.57% of all suicide deaths.
Suicide rates by age
In 2017, the highest suicide rate 20.2 was among adults between 45 and 54 years of age. The second highest rate 20. One occurred in those 85 years or older. Younger groups have had consistently lower suicide rates of been middle-aged and older adults. In 2017, adolescents and young adults age 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 14. 46.
Suicide rates by race/ethnic city
In 2017, the highest US age adjusted the suicide rate was among whites 15.85 and the second highest rate was among American Indians and Alaska natives 13.42. Much lower and roughly similar rates were found among black or African-Americans 6.61 and Asians and pacific islanders 6.59.
Note that the Center for disease control and prevention (CDC) records Hispanic origin separately from the primary racial or ethnic groups of white, black, American Indian or Alaskan native, and Asian or Pacific Islander, Since individuals in all groups may also be Hispanic.
(For more statistics and source-)
(CNN) New Research Finds; Suicide Rate In The U.S. Continues To Climb….
–The US Suicide Rate Is Up 33% Since 1999, Research Says–