Suicide Article

Increased Suicide Thoughts in Americans
As research has shown, around 8 million Americans consider suicide each year. But have successful suicide rates increased over the past few years?
A ten year study that ran from 1996 to 2006 reveals that California was the leading state with a number of 3,000 suicides a year and the majority of the people taking their own lives across the nation were white males. The largest age group was that of the elderly.
Last year 8.3 million Americans seriously considered suicide, and 2.3 of them attempted taking their own lives. But only 32,000 succeeded, so the rate of successful suicides remains about the same.
The majority age group of those who were self-destructive last year was not that of the elderly, but 18-25 year olds. The elderly held 2.3% of the self-immolators while the younger crowd held 6.7%
Another sad fact is that 47% of the people unsuccessful at ending their lives did not seek medical or psychological help in anyway.
But the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (abbreviated AFSP) has been helping Americans cope with suicide and suicidal thoughts since 1987. It also caters to people suffering from mental illnesses.
The AFSP has come up with days and statistics and even fundraiser walks (called “Out of the Darkness Walks”). Their upcoming annual national day for survivors of suicide is on November 21st. It will be the 11th Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day and they are going to celebrate it by holding simultaneous conferences all around the US helping people cope with their losses and try to prevent even more suicide attempts.
Warning risks of suicide include: Hopelessness, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, pessimism, recent obsession in taking unnecessary risks, and increased drug/alcohol abuse. If your loved one begins giving away prized possessions or randomly is in possession of a firearm or any medication that may be used to commit suicide do all in your power to stop it from happening.
To prevent suicide you should be willing to listen to the person, do not leave them alone, and take any dangerous objects from them. They may really need help. Talk to them and try to help them the most that you can, and if that does not work try to seek professional help.
“Every 16 minutes in the US some dies from suicide and every 17 minutes someone is left to make sense of it.”