We have all felt down in the dumps, or blue at some stage in our lives, being or feeling depressed, but it’s when those feelings of depression creep into our lives enough to interfere with how we are, being able to disrupt us living our lives, interfering with our daily functions, then we have symptoms of a mental illness known as clinical depression. 19 million Americans are estimated to suffer from depression every year, and anyone can suffer from depression having nothing to do with one’s age, gender, race or socioeconomic status. Depression is a true medical illness, not a weakness or a character flaw. (PSY Web, n.b.)
When we talk about suicide, and what role depression plays, studies now show that older adults are at a higher risk due to social isolation, financial problems, illness, loneliness, sadness and fear. White Non-Hispanic men age 85 and older were most likely to die by suicide. They had a rate of 49.8 suicide deaths per 100,000 persons for this age group. (NIMH, n.b.) Women may have a stronger support system, at least socially, whereas this may deter them from commenting suicide. They are more prone to seek out help, whether it’s psychiatric or medical, so their suicide rate is considerably lower than men’s. Men face day to day challenges, and even though women do as well, their coping with things are different, based on stereotypes men have a higher rate of suicide over the age of 65 than women do, approximately 40 per 100,000. This is speculated to be caused by work related problems, life events, and public humiliation, such as job loss or physical illness. (NIH, GOV, 2012)
If I were responding to someone who is having difficulties with interpersonal style, which is the degree of which you care, or not care for others, interacting with them, emotional regulation are when feelings & expressions of emotion are filtered to control how one feels, having the ability to control one’s emotions which may govern the
References: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/...depression-and-suicide.../index.shtml Pratt, D., Zeigler-Hill, V., (2007) Defense Styles and the Interpersonal Circumplex: The Interpersonal Nature of Psychological Defense; Journal of Psychiatry, Psychology and Mental Health