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If you are thinking about suicide:
Click
here to read THIS first -
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/
To
talk with a
caring listener about your suicidal feelings,
in the U.S. call
1-800-SUICIDE
(1-800-784-2433) any time, day or night.
Important Q&A:
Q. People
often get uncomfortable when one discloses something as intimate and
frightening as suicidal thoughts. What do you think can be done to
reduce this stigma, either of suicidal people, or of depressive
patients? Can people actually
“change”
their minds and accept someone who is suicidal?
A.
As people recognize that suicidal behavior is the result of a medical
condition not a sign of weakness or character defect it will change.
Facts About Suicide:
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Over 30,000 people in the United States
kill themselves every year. |
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In
2004 (latest available date), there were 32,439 reported
suicide deaths. |
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Suicide is fourth
leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18
and 65 years in the U.S., with approximately 26,500
suicides.
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Currently, suicide is the 11th leading
cause of death in the U.S. |
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A person dies by suicide about every
eighteen minutes in the U.S. An attempt is estimated to be made once
every minute. |
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Ninety percent of all people who die by
suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their
death. |
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There
are four male suicides for every female suicide, but
twice as many females as males attempt suicide.
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Every day, approximately 80 Americans take
their own life, and 1,500 more attempt to do so. |
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) -
http://www.afsp.org
Mortality:
All suicides
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Number of deaths: 31,484 (2003) |
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Deaths per 100,000 population: 10.8 (2003) |
Firearm suicides
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Number of deaths: 16,907 (2003) |
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Deaths per 100,000 population: 5.8 (2003) |
Suffocation suicides
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Number of deaths: 6,635 (2003) |
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Deaths per 100,000 population: 2.3 (2003) |
Poisoning suicides
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Number of deaths: 5,462 (2003) |
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Deaths per 100,000 population: 1.9 (2003) |
National Center for
Health Statistics -
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm
Risk Factors:
The first step in preventing suicide is to identify
and understand the risk factors. A risk factor is anything that
increases the likelihood that persons will harm themselves. However,
risk factors are not necessarily causes. Research has identified the
following risk factors for suicide (DHHS 1999):
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Previous suicide attempt(s)
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History of mental disorders, particularly
depression |
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History of alcohol and substance abuse
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Family history of suicide
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Family history of child maltreatment
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Feelings of hopelessness
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Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
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Barriers to accessing mental health
treatment |
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Loss (relational, social, work, or
financial) |
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Physical illness
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Easy access to lethal methods
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Unwillingness to seek help because of the
stigma attached to mental health and substance abuse disorders or
suicidal thoughts |
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Cultural and religious beliefs—for
instance, the belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a
personal dilemma |
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Local epidemics of suicide
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Isolation, a feeling of being cut off from
other people |
Protective Factors:
Protective factors buffer people from the risks
associated with suicide. A number of protective factors have been
identified (DHHS 1999):
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Effective clinical care for mental,
physical, and substance abuse disorders |
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Easy access to a variety of clinical
interventions and support for help seeking |
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Family and community support
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Support from ongoing medical and mental
health care relationships |
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Skills in problem solving, conflict
resolution, and nonviolent handling of disputes
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Cultural and religious beliefs that
discourage suicide and support self-preservation instincts
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Links:
1000 Deaths
This site is run by survivors for survivors.
Offers memorials for loved ones lost to suicide
and email support groups for survivors, as well as other news and events
of importance to survivors.
http://www.1000deaths.com
Stop a Suicide, Today!
Teaches you how to recognize the signs of suicide in family members,
friends and co-workers, and empowers you to make a difference in the
lives of your loved ones. It emphasizes the relationship between suicide
and mental illness and the notion that a key step in reducing suicide is
to get those in need into mental health treatment.
http://www.stopasuicide.org/
Suicide Prevention, Awareness, and
Support
This web site is well written and filled
with easy to understand statistics. There is an abundance of
information to be found here.
http://preventsuicidenow.com/index.html
Depression and
Bipolar Support Alliance
If you or someone you know suffers from depression or manic depression
(also known as bipolar disorder), you understand all too well its
symptoms may include feelings of sadness and hopelessness. These
feelings can also include thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Whether we
have suicidal thoughts ourselves or know a severely depressed person who
does, there are ways that we can respond with strength and courage.
http://www.dbsalliance.org/info/suicide.html
NIMH - National
Institue of Mental Health
In Harms Way: Suicide in America
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/harmaway.cfm
The Aeschi Working Group's website
Group that meets
every 2 years
for improving the therapeutic approach to the
suicidal person.
http://www.aeschiconference.unibe.ch/index.html
TISA
-Training Institute for Suicide Assessment and Clinical Interviewing
This website is designed specifically for mental health professionals,
substance abuse counselors, school counselors, primary care physicians,
and psychiatric nurses, who are looking for information on the
development of suicide prevention skills, crisis intervention skills,
and advanced clinical interviewing skills.
http://www.suicideassessment.com/
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