More people die from suicide than from homicide in the United States. Every day approximately 86 Americans commit suicide, and 1,500 people attempt to commit suicide.
Safety Tips
To help prevent suicide, follow these tips suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association. For Individuals:
Know that help is available. Call 1-800-SUICIDE or a local crisis center to talk to a counselor if you feel suicidal. Express your feelings to trusted friends or relatives. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Most deaths by suicide result from sudden, uncontrolled impulses; drugs and alcohol contribute to such impulses. Drugs and alcohol also interfere with the effectiveness of medications prescribed for depressive disorders. Recognize the earliest warning signs of a suicidal episode. There are often subtle warning signs your body will give you when an episode is developing. As you learn to manage your illness, you will learn how to be sensitive to these signs. This is a signal to treat yourself with the utmost care, as opposed to becoming angry or disgusted with yourself. Write down your thoughts. Each day, write about your hopes for the future and the people you value in your life. Read what you’ve written when you need to remind yourself why your own life is important. For Families and Friends:
Be a good listener. If people express suicidal thoughts or feel depressed, hopeless, or worthless, be supportive. You may encounter negative reactions from the individual who believes that his or her condition is hopeless and will never get better. Let them know you are there for them and are willing to help them seek professional help. Never issue challenges or dares. Many people find it awkward to put into words how another person’s life is important for their own well-being, but it is important to stress that the person’s life is important to you and to others. Emphasize in specific terms the ways in which the person’s suicide would be devastating to you and to others. Express empathy and concern for people who express thoughts about committing suicide. Suicidal ideation is frequently accompanied by a self-absorbed, uncommunicative, and withdrawn state of mind. When you try to help, the individual may be reluctant to discuss what he or she is thinking. At such times, it is important to acknowledge the reality of the individual’s pain and hopelessness. If the person is not comfortable talking with you, encourage him or her to talk with someone else. Describe specific behaviors and events that trouble you. Noting particular ways in which a person’s behavior has changed may help to get communication started. Familiarize yourself with suicide intervention resources such as mental health centers, counseling centers, and hotlines. Restrict inappropriate access to firearms. For Communities:
Build support for families, communities, and neighborhoods. Ensure accessible and effective clinical care for mental, physical, and substance abuse disorders. Expand suicide prevention efforts for youths, emphasizing nonviolent handling of disputes, conflict resolution, and skill-building in problem solving. Promote awareness of suicide intervention resources such as mental health centers, counseling centers, and hotlines. The Problem
Who Is Affected?
Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all Americans. Suicide rates are the highest among people age 65 and older, and suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24. Among youths 10 to 14 years old, suicide rates increased 100 percent from 1980 to 1996.
Suicide affects many populations. From 1979 to 1992, suicide rates for Native Americans (including American Indians and Native Alaskans) were 1.5 times the national rates. Young males ages 15 to 24 accounted for 64 percent of all suicides among Native Americans. Suicide rates are higher than the national average for some groups of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. In Hawaii, the suicide rate for this group is 4 percent higher than the rate for the rest of the population. Asian American women have the highest suicide rate among women age 65 and older. While the suicide rate among young people is greatest among white males, from 1980 to 1996 the suicide rate increased most rapidly (and more than doubled) among black males ages 15 to 19. Hispanic students were more likely than white students to have reported a suicide attempt.
Nationwide in 1997, 21 percent of high school students had seriously considered attempting suicide within the past year, and 8 percent had attempted suicide within the past year. Although females are more likely than males to attempt suicide, males are more likely to die in their first attempt than females.
Nearly 60 percent of all suicides in the United States are committed with a firearm. Because firearms are particularly lethal, these people usually do not have another chance.
The people most at risk for committing suicide are those who have several of the following characteristics:
have attempted suicide in the past have a family history of suicide have a firearm in the home consume alcohol and/or abuse other substances are depressed (changes in sleeping patterns and appetite, feeling worthless)
have experienced violence (physical, sexual, domestic, or child abuse)
are experiencing unusual stress due to adverse life events, such as separation or divorce have spent time in jail or prison have a medical condition move frequently from one location to another experienced poor parent/child communication feel socially isolated
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