Suicide with pills, Author Manos Bourdakis (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) indicates that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 15-24, the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 10-14, and the 10th leading cause of death in the US overall [1].
Risk Factors
The risk factors for suicide include [2]:
- A prior suicide attempt or a family history of suicide;
- Mental health issues (including depression) or a family history of such issues;
- Substance abuse or a family history of such abuse;
- Physical or sexual abuse;
- Domestic violence;
- The presence of firearms in the home;
- Painful physical illness;
- Financial difficulties;
- Incarceration;
- Suicide by peers;
- Suicide by celebrities.
According to one study, the victims of child abuse were 2.56 times more likely to attempt suicide than others [3]. As many as 80.1% of those in the study who attempted suicide had been abused in childhood.
Prevention
Crisis centers and stories of recovery can be found at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/, 1-800-273-8255. Individual states, also, have suicide prevention programs.
Awareness
Maryland earlier this month became the 42nd state to designate September as Suicide Prevention Month [3].
All month long, suicide prevention organizations; mental health professionals and advocates; the survivors of suicide attempts; the loved ones left behind by suicide victims; and the communities concerned by suicide statistics promote awareness of the problem.
“He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds” (Ps. 147: 3)
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[1] Calvert Beacon, “September Proclaimed Suicide Prevention Month”, 9/1/20, https://www.calvertbeacon.com/september-is-proclaimed-suicide-prevention-month/.
[2] 211 MD, “Suicide Prevention”, https://211md.org/211provider-md-suicide-prevention.
[3] National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, PubMed Central, “Child abuse and the prevalence of suicide attempts among those reporting suicide ideation” by Michael Martin et al, 6/11/16, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5101274/.
[4] Maryland.gov, “During Suicide Prevention Month, Governor Hogan Renews Administration’s Commitment to Service Members, Veterans, and their Families”, 9/10/20, https://governor.maryland.gov/2020/09/10/during-suicide-prevention-month-governor-hogan-renews-administrations-commitment-to-service-members-veterans-and-their-families/.
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ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
Sobering statistics especially in the young 😦
Yes, and suicide by the young is on the increase. See, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/youth-suicide-rates-are-on-the-rise-in-the-u-s.
My goodness, what are we as a society doing about this?? This needs to be tackled in earnest!
You are so right. I believe the high rate of suicide demonstrates the emptiness of our materialistic society.
Yes, it’s shocking that we are seemingly putting so much pressure onto young, impressionable minds. We need to change our ways fast!
This is a very distressing factor the increase in suicides. I have known two suicide victims. Both died from unrequited love relationships though there was much more than just a lost love there had been a great deal of cruelty from their partner at the time which lead to their suicide. Some people are so cruel they have no idea the harm and destruction they cause within another. The mind is fragile easily shattered not everyone has a ruthless mind/abuse which can take abuse. The other difficult part was their family loved them but they never spoke of their trauma with anyone. Suicide victims or those contemplating it require much love, listening and compassion. Bless you Anna.
Bless you for your compassion, Nanette.
Thank you.
I am so grateful that my suicide attempt failed. When I was 15 years old, I hung myself. At the time, after years of trauma and abuse, I couldn’t see any way out of my unbearable suffering. Thank God, the substantial looking pipe that I hung myself from, broke! There are so many wonderful things I would have missed, if I had died that day.
Oh, Linda. It breaks my heart to hear how you suffered. I, too, am grateful I did not pursue suicide. God had better things in store for us both. ❤
It’s sad. I suppose close bonding and desire to reach out to each other, between the family members could reduce the numbers a lot.
I believe you are right, Commander.
💔😢
The three suicides I’ve known best were men in the midst of successful interesting careers, with loving families behind them. They did not seem to be driven by greed, so the question haunts; what had been destroyed in their core? It felt like for all three, from early on, they had not been allowed to find themselves worthy. No amount of talking in later life, seemed to flip that switch.
Tragic.
Always!
In Canada we also have adopted suicide prevention month along with legalizing doctor assisted suicide for those who are terminally ill. There is now a push on to expand this to include those with long term pain and mental health issues. It is difficult to say on one hand your suffering should be addressed by a doctor including assisted dying but then say if you have mental health issues see a doctor to avoid heading down the path toward suicide. I am not sure that anyone who struggles with suicidal thoughts can work through the assisted death issue at the same time as once you get to the point you want to die you most likely believe it is the only way to deal with your situation and therefore you should qualify for doctor assisted dying. If you don’t qualify it is because the law has not caught up so you will have to do it yourself.
3 attempts the last one 15 years ago and many hard days where I had to choose to live – my faith says “this is not an option” my struggles said this is the only option my government says it might be an option – we need to be there for people who struggle like I have over my life time
Oh, Dave. My heart goes out to you. Surely, if you are still here the Lord has a purpose for your life. May He alleviate your pain, emotional and physical. You are in my prayers.