The Trevor Project

Researchers have found that suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender youth (LGBT) is comparatively higher than among the general population. According to some groups, this is linked to heterocentric cultures and institutionalised homophobia in some cases, including the use of LGBT people as a political wedge issue like in the contemporary efforts to halt legalising same-sex marriages[citation needed]. Depression and drug use among LGBT people have both been shown to increase significantly after new laws that discriminate against gay people are passed.[1]
The Trevor Project
"The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, An American non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, offering around-the-clock crisis
and suicide prevention helpline for LGBT youth, the project "is determined to end suicide among LGBT youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone."[20]
Some myths about suicide
Myth: Young people rarely think about suicide.
Reality: Teens and suicide are more closely linked than adults might expect. In a survey of 15,000 grade 7 to 12 students in British Columbia, 34% knew of someone who had attempted or died by suicide; 16% had seriously considered suicide; 14% had made a suicide plan; 7% had made an attempt and 2% had required medical attention due to an attempt.
Myth: Talking about suicide will give a young person the idea, or permission, to consider suicide as a solution to their problems.
Reality: Talking calmly about suicide, without showing fear or making judgments, can bring relief to someone who is feeling terribly isolated. A willingness to listen shows sincere concern; encouraging someone to speak about their suicidal feelings can reduce the risk of an attempt.
Myth: Suicide is sudden and unpredictable.
Reality: Suicide is most often a process, not an event. Eight out of ten people who die by suicide gave some, or even many, indications of their intentions.
Myth: Suicidal youth are only seeking attention or trying to manipulate others.
Reality: Efforts to manipulate or grab attention are always a cause for concern. It is difficult to determine if a youth is at risk of suicide All suicide threats must be taken seriously.
Myth: Suicidal people are determined to die.
Reality: Suicidal youth are in pain. They don't necessarily want to die; they want their pain to end. If their ability to cope is stretched to the limit, or if problems occur together with a mental illness, it can seem that death is the only way to make the pain stop.
Myth: A suicidal person will always be at risk.
Reality: Most people feel suicidal at some time in their lives. The overwhelming desire to escape from pain can be relieved when the problem or pressure is relieved. Learning effective coping techniques to deal with stressful situations can help.
What are the signs
Most people who consider suicide are not determined to die. They are undecided about whether to live or die, so they may take risks and leave it to someone else to save them. Warning signs may be their way of asking for help or revealing the seriousness of their situation. Warning signs can be very subtle. They can also be as obvious as someone saying, "You won't be seeing me any more."
Here are some common warning signs:
• sudden change in behaviour (for better or worse)
• withdrawal from friends and activities,
• lack of interest
• increased use of alcohol and other drugs
• recent loss of a friend, family member or parent, especially if they died by suicide
• conflicting feelings or a sense of shame about being gay or straight
• mood swings, emotional outbursts, high level of irritability or aggression
• feelings of hopelessness
• preoccupation with death, giving away valued possessions
• talk of suicide: eg. "no one cares if I live or die"
• making a plan or increased risk taking
• writing or drawing about suicide (in a diary, for example)
• "hero worship" of people who have died by suicide
Remember, there is no ultimate list of warning signs. It may be right to be concerned about someone simply because their behaviour is out of character. Sudden shifts in a person's attitude or actions can alert friends to potential problems.
What can you do
The only person who can stop a person from considering suicide is the suicidal person. But you can help them to reconsider and seek other solutions. The most important thing is to listen. Take your friend seriously.
People who share their suicide plans often demand secrecy from their friends. But they're usually hoping that their friend will stop them by getting help. When a life is at risk, requests for confidentiality must be ignored.
Don't be afraid to be the first to mention suicide. Talking about suicide openly does not increase the risk. Ask if your friend is suicidal. Bringing the subject into the open can bring relief.
You can help by:
• really listening, without judging not challenging, or becoming angry and shocked
• finding ways to break through the silence and secrecy
• asking if they have plans or have made prior attempts
• helping them find ways to lessen their pain
• helping them see positive possibilities in their future guiding them to other sources of help as soon as possible, such as a counsellor or other trusted adult, or community crisis lines listed in your telephone book
No one can solve another person's problems. But sympathy and support can help; knowing that someone else has faced similar tough times and survived can help a suicidal person see a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. In 2005, suicide ranked as the third leading cause of death for young people (ages 15-19 and 15-24); only accidents and homicides occurred more frequently. • Whereas suicides accounted for 1.3% of all deaths in the U.S. annually, they comprised 12.3% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds.
• In 2005, 32,637 people completed suicide. Of these, 4,212 were completed by people between the ages of 15 and 24. • Suicide rates, for 15-24 year olds, have more than doubled since the 1950’s, and remained largely stable at these higher levels between the late 1970’s and the mid 1990’s. They have declined 28.5% since 1994. • In the past 60 years, the suicide rate has quadrupled for males 15 to 24 years old, and has doubled for females of the same age (CDC, 2002). • Suicide rates for those 15-19 years old increased 19% between 1980 and 1994. Since the peak in 1994 with 11.0 suicides per 100,000, there has been a 34% decrease. In 2004, the rate was 8.2 per 100,000. • Males between the ages of 20 and 24 were 5.8 times more likely than females to complete suicide. Males between 15 and 19 were 3.6 times more likely than females to complete suicide (2005 data).
• For every completed suicide by youth, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made. Based on the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS), 8.5% of students in grades 9 through 12
____________________
In this fact sheet, youth refers to the age groups of 15 to 19 and 20 to 24. Unless otherwise specified, information presented refers to the latest available data (i.e., 2005).
28 January 2008
○ Each year, there are approximately 10 youth suicides for every 100,000 youth. ○ Each day, there are approximately 12 youth suicides. ○ Every 2 hours and 11 minutes, a person under the age of 25 completes suicide.
Males Females Both genders
Ages 15 to 19 12.06 3.02 7.66
Ages 20 to 24 20.22 3.96 12.35 reported making an attempt at suicide in the previous 12 months (11.5% female and 5.4% male). These percentages decreased from grades 9 (10.1%) to 12 (6.1%). A prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for an eventual completion. In fact, according to the YRBSS, 16.9% of students seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months and 16.5% of students made plans for an attempt (2003).
• Firearms remain the most commonly used suicide method among youth, accounting for 49% of all completed suicides. • In the last decade, for youths aged 15 to 19, the suicide rate by firearm decreased (from 7.3 in 1992 to 3.5 in 2005); correspondingly, suicide rates by suffocation increased (from 1.9 in 1992 to 3.06 in 2005). Firearms remain the most commonly used method.
• Research has shown that the access to and the availability of firearms is a significant factor in observed increases in rates of youth suicide. Guns in the home are deadly to its occupants!
Suicide Among Children
• In 2005, 270 children ages 10 to 14 completed suicide in the U.S.
• Suicide rates for those between the ages of 10-14 increased 50% between 1981 and 2005.
• Although their rates are lower than for Caucasian children, African American children (ages 10-14) showed the largest increase in suicide rates between 1980 and 1995 (233%). In 2004, the rate for African American males ages 10-14 was 0.62 per 100,000 in 2005 (the rate for Caucasian males was 1.92 per 100,000).
• In the 10 to 14 age group, Caucasian children (ranked 3rd leading cause of death) were far more likely to complete suicide than African American children (ranked 5th leading cause of death). Caucasian males Suicide Rates for Ages 15 to 19 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20060.002.004.006.008.0010.001992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004TotalYearRates per 100,000FirearmSuffocation between 10 and 14 years of age were 1.8 times more likely to complete suicide than Caucasian females of the same age.
• The trend of methods used by children has followed a similar pattern to that of youths 15 to 19 years old. Since 1993, suicide by firearm decreased and suicide by suffocation increased. Suicides by suffocation among 10 to 14 year olds have occurred more frequently than those by firearms since 1999.
Other factors
• Research has shown that most adolescent suicides occur after school hours and in the teen’s home.
• Although rates vary somewhat by geographic location, within a typical high school classroom, it is likely that three students (one boy and two girls) have made a suicide attempt in the past year.
• The typical profile of an adolescent nonfatal suicide attempter is a female who ingests pills, while the profile of the typical suicide completer is a male who dies from a gunshot wound.
• Not all adolescent attempters may admit their intent. Therefore, any deliberate self-harming behaviors should be considered serious and in need of further evaluation.
• Most adolescent suicide attempts are precipitated by interpersonal conflicts. The intent of the behavior appears to be to effect change in the behaviors or attitudes of others.
• Repeat attempters (those making more than one nonfatal attempt) generally use their behavior as a means of coping with stress and tend to exhibit more chronic symptomology, poorer coping histories, and a higher presence of suicidal and substance abuse behaviors in their family histories.
• Many teenagers may display one or more of the problems or “signs” detailed below. The following list describes some potential factors of risk for suicide among youth. If observed, a professional evaluation is strongly recommended:
Presence of a psychiatric disorder (e.g., depression, drug or alcohol, behavior disorders, conduct disorder [e.g., runs away or has been incarcerated]);
The expression/communication of thoughts of suicide, death, dying or the afterlife (in a context of sadness, boredom, hopelessness or negative feelings);
Impulsive and aggressive behavior, frequent expressions of rage;
Increasing use of alcohol or drugs;
Exposure to another’s suicidal behavior;
Recent severe stressor (e.g., difficulties in dealing with sexual orientation; unplanned pregnancy, significant real or anticipated loss, etc.); and/or
Family instability, significant family conflict.
Sources
The information for this portion of the fact sheet was gathered from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) website (www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/default.htm), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (May 21, 2004, 53 (SS-2); June 11, 2004, 53(4), p. 471-474).
Suicide Among College Students
• The rate of completed suicide for college students, according to a major study of suicides on Big Ten college campuses (1997) was 7.5 per 100,000.
• It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses per year.
• One in 12 college students have made a suicide plan.
• In 2000, the American College Health Association surveyed 16,000 college students from 28 college campuses. o 9.5% of students had seriously contemplated suicide. o 1.5% have made a suicide attempt. o In the twelve month period prior to the survey, half of the sample reported feeling very sad, one third reported feeling hopeless and 22% reported feeling so depressed as to not be able to function. o Of the 16,000 students surveyed, only 6.2% of males and 12.8% of females reported a diagnosis of depression. Therefore, there are a large number of students who are not receiving adequate treatment and/or who remain undiagnosed.
• Of the students who had seriously considered suicide, 94.8% reported feeling so sad to the point of not functioning at least once in the past year, and 94.4% reported feelings of hopelessness.
• Two groups of students might be at higher risk for suicide:
- Students with a pre-existing (before college) mental health condition, and
- Students who develop a mental health condition while in
college.
Within these groups, students who are male, Asian and Hispanic, under the age of 21 are more likely to experience suicide ideation and attempts.
• Reasons attributed to the appearance or increase of symptoms/disorders: o New and unfamiliar environment; o Academic and social pressures; o Feelings of failure or decreased performance; o Alienation; o Family history of mental illness; o Lack adequate coping skills; o Difficulties adjusting to new demands and different work loads.
• Risk factors for suicide in college students include depression, sadness, hopelessness, and stress.
• As with the general population, depression plays a large role in suicide. “Ten percent of college students have been diagnosed with depression” (NMHA, 2001). “The vast majority of young adults aged 18 and older who are diagnosed with depression do not receive appropriate or even any treatment at all”.
The tragedy of a young person dying because of overwhelming hopelessness or frustration is devastating to family, friends, and community. Parents, siblings, classmates, coaches, and neighbors might be left wondering if they could have done something to prevent that young person from turning to suicide. Learning more about factors that might lead an adolescent to suicide may help prevent further tragedies. Even though it's not always preventable, it's always a good idea to be informed and take action to help a troubled teenager.
About Teen Suicide
The reasons behind a teen's suicide or attempted suicide can be complex. Although suicide is relatively rare among children, the rate of suicides and suicide attempts increases tremendously during adolescence.
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after accidents and homicide.
It's also thought that at least 25 attempts are made for every completed teen suicide.
The risk of suicide increases dramatically when kids and teens have access to firearms at home, and nearly 60% of all suicides in the United States are committed with a gun. That's why any gun in your home should be unloaded, locked, and kept out of the reach of children and teens.
Overdose using over-the-counter, prescription, and non-prescription medicine is also a very common method for both attempting and completing suicide. It's important to monitor carefully all medications in your home. Also be aware that teens will "trade" different prescription medications at school and carry them (or store them) in their locker or backpack.
Suicide rates differ between boys and girls. Girls think about and attempt suicide about twice as often as boys, and tend to attempt suicide by overdosing on drugs or cutting themselves. Yet boys die by suicide about four times as often girls, perhaps because they tend to use more lethal methods, such as firearms, hanging, or jumping from
heights.
Which Teens Are at Risk for Suicide?
It can be hard to remember how it felt to be a teen, caught in that gray area between childhood and adulthood. Sure, it's a time of tremendous possibility but it also can be a period of stress and worry. There's pressure to fit in socially, to perform academically, and to act responsibly.
Adolescence is also a time of sexual identity and relationships and a need for independence that often conflicts with the rules and expectations set by others.
Young people with mental health problems — such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or insomnia — are at higher risk for suicidal thoughts. Teens going through major life changes (parents' divorce, moving, a parent leaving home due to military service or parental separation, financial changes) and those who are victims of bullying are at greater risk of suicidal thoughts.
Factors that increase the risk of suicide among teens include:
• a psychological disorder, especially depression, bipolar disorder, and alcohol and drug use (in fact, approximately 95% of people who die by suicide have a psychological disorder at the time of death)
• feelings of distress, irritability, or agitation
• feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness that often accompany depression
• a previous suicide attempt
• a family history of depression or suicide
• emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
• lack of a support network, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation
• dealing with bisexuality or homosexuality in an unsupportive family or community or hostile school environment
Warning Signs
Suicide among teens often occurs following a stressful life event, such as problems at school, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a major family conflict.
Teens who are thinking about suicide might:
• talk about suicide or death in general
• give hints that they might not be around anymore
• talk about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
• pull away from friends or family
• write songs, poems, or letters about death, separation, and loss
• start giving away treasured possessions to siblings or friends
• lose the desire to take part in favorite things or activities
• have trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
• experience changes in eating or sleeping habits
• engage in risk-taking behaviors
• lose interest in school or sports
What Can Parents Do?
Many teens who commit or attempt suicide have given some type of warning to loved ones ahead of time. So it's important for parents to know the warning signs so teens who might be suicidal can get the help they need.
Some adults feel that kids who say they are going to hurt or kill themselves are "just doing it for attention." It's important to realize that if teens are ignored when seeking attention, it may increase the chance of them harming themselves (or worse).
Getting attention in the form of ER visits, doctor's appointments, and residential treatment generally is not something teens want — unless they're seriously depressed and thinking about suicide or at least wishing they were dead. It's important to see warning signs as serious, not as "attention-seeking" to be ignored.
Watch and Listen
Keep a close eye on a teen who is depressed and withdrawn. Understanding depression in teens is very important since it can look different from commonly held beliefs about depression. For example, it may take the form of problems with friends, grades, sleep, or being cranky and irritable rather than chronic sadness or crying.
It's important to try to keep the lines of communication open and express your concern, support, and love. If your teen confides in you, show that you take those concerns seriously. A fight with a friend might not seem like a big deal to you in the larger scheme of things, but for a teen it can feel immense and consuming. It's important not to minimize or discount what your teen is going through, as this can increase his or her sense of hopelessness.
If your teen doesn't feel comfortable talking with you, suggest a more neutral person, such as another relative, a clergy member, a coach, a school counselor, or your child's doctor.
Ask Questions
Some parents are reluctant to ask teens if they have been thinking about suicide or hurting themselves. Some fear that by asking, they will plant the idea of suicide in their teen's head.
It's always a good idea to ask, even though doing so can be difficult. Sometimes it helps to explain why you're asking. For instance, you might say: "I've noticed that you've been talking a lot about wanting to be dead. Have you been having thoughts about trying to kill yourself?"
Get Help
If you learn that your child is thinking about suicide, get help immediately. Your doctor can refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist, or your local hospital's department of psychiatry can provide a list of doctors in your area. Your local mental health association or county medical society can also provide references. In an emergency, you can call (800) SUICIDE or [phone].
If your teen is in a crisis situation, your local emergency room can conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and refer you to the appropriate resources. If you're unsure about whether you should bring your child to the emergency room, contact your doctor or call (800) SUICIDE for help.
If you've scheduled an appointment with a mental health professional, make sure to keep the appointment, even if your teen says he or she is feeling better or doesn't want to go. Suicidal thoughts do tend to come and go; however, it is important that your teen get help developing the skills necessary to decrease the likelihood that suicidal thoughts and behaviors will emerge again if a crisis arises.
If your teen refuses to go to the appointment, discuss this with the mental health professional — and consider attending the session and working with the clinician to make sure your teen has access to the help needed. The clinician also might be able to help you devise strategies to help your teen want to get help.
Remember that ongoing conflicts between a parent and child can fuel the fire for a teen who is feeling isolated, misunderstood, devalued, or suicidal. Get help to air family problems and resolve them in a constructive way. Also let the mental health professional know if there is a history of depression, substance abuse, family violence, or other stresses at home, such as an ongoing environment of criticism.
Helping Teens Cope With Loss
What should you do if someone your teen knows, perhaps a family member, friend, or a classmate, has attempted or committed suicide? First, acknowledge your child's many emotions. Some teens say they feel guilty — especially those who felt they could have interpreted their friend's actions and words better.
Others say they feel angry with the person who committed or attempted suicide for having done something so selfish. Still others say they feel no strong emotions or don't know how to express how they feel. Reassure your child that there is no right or wrong way to feel, and that it's OK to talk about it when he or she feels ready.
When someone attempts suicide and survives, people might be afraid of or uncomfortable talking with him or her about it. Tell your teen to resist this urge; this is a time when a person absolutely needs to feel connected to others.
Many schools address a student's suicide by calling in special counselors to talk with the students and help them cope. If your teen is dealing with a friend or classmate's suicide, encourage him or her to make use of these resources or to talk to you or another trusted adult.
If You've Lost a Child to Suicide
For parents, the death of a child is the most painful loss imaginable. For parents who've lost a child to suicide, the pain and grief can be intensified. Although these feelings may never completely go away, survivors of suicide can take steps to begin the healing process:
• Maintain contact with others. Suicide can be a very isolating experience for surviving family members because friends often don't know what to say or how to help. Seek out supportive people to talk with about your child and your feelings. If those around you seem uncomfortable about reaching out, initiate the conversation and ask for their help.
• Remember that your other family members are grieving, too, and that everyone expresses grief in their own way. Your other children, in particular, may try to deal with their pain alone so as not to burden you with additional worries. Be there for each other through the tears, anger, and silences — and, if necessary, seek help and support together.
• Expect that anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays may be difficult. Important days and holidays often reawaken a sense of loss and anxiety. On those days, do what's best for your emotional needs, whether that means surrounding yourself with family and friends or planning a quiet day of reflection.
• Understand that it's normal to feel guilty and to question how this could have happened, but it's also important to realize that you might never get the answers you seek. The healing that takes place over time comes from reaching a point of forgiveness — for both your child and yourself.
• Counseling and support groups can play a tremendous role in helping you to realize you are not alone. Some bereaved family members become part of the suicide prevention network that helps parents, teenagers, and schools learn how to help prevent future tragedies.
INTRODUCTION
The continued high rates of suicide among adolescents (i.e., persons aged 15–19 years) and young adults (persons aged 20–24 years) (Table 1) have heightened the need for allocation of prevention resources. To better focus these resources, CDC’s
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control recently published Youth Suicide
Prevention Programs: A Resource Guide (1 ). The guide describes the rationale and evidence for the effectiveness of various suicide prevention strategies and identifies model programs that incorporate these strategies. It is intended as an aid for communities interested in developing or augmenting suicide prevention programs targeted toward adolescents and young adults. This report summarizes the eight prevention strategies described in the Resource Guide.
TABLE 1. Suicide rates* for persons 15–24 years of age, by age group and sex — United
States, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990
Age group (yrs)/Sex
Year
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
15–19
Male 3.5 5.6 8.8 13.8 18.1
Female 1.8 1.6 2.9 3.0 3.7
Total 2.7 3.6 5.9 8.5 11.1
20–24
Male 9.3 11.5 19.2 26.8 25.7
Female 3.3 2.9 5.6 5.5 4.1
Total 6.2 7.1 12.2 16.1 15.1
15–24
Male 6.5 8.2 13.5 20.2 22.0
Female 2.6 2.2 4.2 4.3 3.9
Total 4.5 5.2 8.8 12.3 13.2
What is suicide?
Suicide is the process of purposely ending one's own life. The way societies view suicide varies widely according to culture and religion. For example, many Western cultures, as well as mainstream Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tend to view killing oneself as quite negative. One myth about suicide that may be the result of this view is considering suicide to always be the result of a mental illness. Some societies also treat a suicide attempt as if it were a crime. However, suicides are sometimes seen as understandable or even honorable in certain circumstances, such as in protest to persecution (for example, hunger strike), as part of battle or resistance (for example, suicide pilots of World War II; suicide bombers) or as a way of preserving the honor of a dishonored person (for example, killing oneself to preserve the honor or safety of family members).
Nearly 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 million to 20 million suicide attempts annually. About 30,000 people reportedly kill themselves each year in the United States. The true number of suicides is likely higher because some deaths that were thought to be an accident, like a single-car accident, overdose, or shooting, are not recognized as being a suicide. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in males and the 16th leading cause of death in females. The higher frequency of completed suicides in males versus females is consistent across the life span. In the United States, boys 10-14 years of age commit suicide twice as often as their female peers. Teenage boys 15-19 years of age complete suicide five times as often as girls their age, and men 20-24 years of age commit suicide 10 times as often as women their age. Gay, lesbian, and other sexual minority youth are more at risk for thinking about and attempting suicide than heterosexual teens.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people 10-24 years of age. Teen suicide statistics for youths 15-19 years of age indicate that from 1950-1990, the frequency of suicides increased by 300% and from 1990-2003, that rate decreased by 35%. However, from 2000-2006, the rate of suicide has gradually increased, both in the 10-24 years and the 25-64 years old age groups. While the rate of murder-suicide remains low at 0.0001%, the devastation it creates makes it a concerning public-health issue.
The rate of suicide can vary with the time of year, as wells as with the time of day. For example, the number of suicides by train tend to peak soon after sunset and about 10 hours earlier each day. Although professionals like police officers and dentists are thought to be more vulnerable to suicide than others, important flaws have been found in the research upon which those claims are based.
As opposed to suicidal behavior, self-mutilation is defined as deliberately hurting oneself without meaning to cause one's own death. Examples of self-mutilating behaviors include cutting any part of the body, usually of the wrists. Self-tattooing is also considered self-mutilation. Other self-injurious behaviors include self-burning, head banging, pinching, and scratching.
Physician-assisted suicide is defined as ending the life of a person who is terminally ill in a way that is either painless or minimally painful for the purpose of ending suffering of the individual. It is also called euthanasia and mercy killing. In 1997, the United States Supreme Court ruled against endorsing physician-assisted suicide as a constitutional right but allowed for individual states to enact laws that permit it to be done. As of 2009, Oregon and Washington were the only states with laws in effect that authorized physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide seems to be less offensive to people compared to assisted suicide that is done by a non-physician, although the acceptability of both means to end life tends to increase as people age and with the number of times the person who desires their own death repeatedly asks for such assistance.
What are the effects of suicide?
The effects of suicidal behavior or completed suicide on friends and family members are often devastating. Individuals who lose a loved one to suicide (suicide survivors) are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the suicide while wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the suicide, feeling rejected by their loved one, and stigmatized by others. Survivors may experience a great range of conflicting emotions about the deceased, feeling everything from intense emotional pain and sadness about the loss, helpless to prevent it, longing for the person they lost, and anger at the deceased for taking their own life to relief if the suicide took place after years of physical or mental illness in their loved one. This is quite understandable given that the person they are grieving is at the same time the victim and the perpetrator of the fatal act.
Individuals left behind by the suicide of a loved one tend to experience complicated grief in reaction to that loss. Symptoms of grief that may be experienced by suicide survivors include intense emotion and longings for the deceased, severely intrusive thoughts about the lost loved one, extreme feelings of isolation and emptiness, avoiding doing things that bring back memories of the departed, new or worsened sleeping problems, and having no interest in activities that the sufferer used to enjoy.
What are some possible causes of suicide?
Although the reasons why people commit suicide are multifaceted and complex, life circumstances that may immediately precede someone committing suicide include the time period of at least a week after discharge from a psychiatric hospital or a sudden change in how the person appears to feel (for example, much worse or much better). Examples of possible triggers (precipitants) for suicide are real or imagined losses, like the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving, loss (especially if by suicide) of a friend, loss of freedom, or loss of other privileges.
Firearms are by far the most common methods by which people take their life, accounting for nearly 60% of suicide deaths per year. Older people are more likely to kill themselves using a firearm compared to younger people. Another suicide method used by some individuals is by threatening police officers, sometimes even with an unloaded gun or a fake weapon. That is commonly referred to as "suicide by cop." Although firearms are the most common way people complete suicide, trying to overdose on medication is the most common means by which people attempt to kill themselves.
What are the risk factors and protective factors for suicide?
Ethnically, the highest suicide rates in the United States occur in non-Hispanic whites and in Native Americans. The lowest rates are in non-Hispanic blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Former Eastern Bloc countries currently have the highest suicide rates worldwide, while South America has the lowest. Geographical patterns of suicides are such that individuals who live in a rural area versus urban area and the western United States versus the eastern United States are at higher risk for killing themselves. The majority of suicide completions take place during the spring.
In most countries, women continue to attempt suicide more often, but men tend to complete suicide more often. Although the frequency of suicides for young adults has been increasing in recent years, elderly Caucasian males continue to have the highest suicide rate. Other risk factors for taking one's life include single marital status, unemployment, low income, mental illness, a history of being physically or sexually abused, a personal history of suicidal thoughts, threats or behaviors, or a family history of attempting suicide.
Data regarding mental illnesses as risk factors indicate that depression, manic depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and severe anxiety increase the probability of suicide attempts and completions. Nine out of 10 people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental-health problem and up to three out of four individuals who take their own life had a physical illness when they committed suicide. Behaviors that tend to be linked with suicide attempts and completions include violence against others and self-mutilation, like slitting one's wrists or other body parts, or burning oneself.
Risk factors for adults who commit murder-suicide include male gender, older caregiver, access to firearms, separation or divorce, depression, and substance abuse. In children and adolescents, bullying and being bullied seem to be associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviors. Specifically regarding male teens who ultimately commit murder-suicide by school shootings, being bullied may play a significant role in putting them at risk for this outcome. Another risk factor which renders children and teens more at risk for suicide compared to adults is that of having someone they know commit suicide, which is called contagion or cluster formation.
Generally, the absence of mental illness and substance abuse, as well as the presence of a strong social support system, decrease the likelihood that a person will kill him- or herself. Having children who are younger than 18 years of age also tends to be a protective factor against mothers committing suicide.
What are the signs and symptoms for suicide?
Warning signs that an individual is imminently planning to kill themselves may include the person making a will, getting his or her affairs in order, suddenly visiting friends or family members (one last time), buying instruments of suicide like a gun, hose, rope, pills or other forms of medications, a sudden and significant decline or improvement in mood, or writing a suicide note. Contrary to popular belief, many people who complete suicide do not tell their therapist or any other mental-health professional they plan to kill themselves in the months before they do so. If they communicate their plan to anyone, it is more likely to be someone with whom they are personally close, like a friend or family member.
Individuals who take their lives tend to suffer from severe anxiety or depression, symptoms of which may include moderate alcohol abuse, insomnia, severe agitation, loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy (anhedonia), hopelessness, and persistent thoughts about the possibility of something bad happening. Since suicidal behaviors are often quite impulsive, removing guns, medications, knives, and other instruments people often use to kill themselves from the immediate environment can allow the individual time to think more clearly and perhaps choose a more rational way of coping with their pain.
How are suicidal thoughts and behaviors assessed?
The risk assessment for suicidal thoughts and behaviors performed by mental-health professionals often involves an evaluation of the presence, severity, and duration of suicidal feelings in the individuals they treat as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the person's mental health. Therefore, in addition to asking questions about family mental-health history and about the symptoms of a variety of emotional problems (for example, anxiety, depression, mood swings, bizarre thoughts, substance abuse, eating disorders, and any history of being traumatized), practitioners frequently ask the people they evaluate about any past or present suicidal thoughts, dreams, intent, and plans. If the individual has ever attempted suicide, information about the circumstances surrounding the attempt, as well as the level of dangerousness of the method and the outcome of the attempt, may be explored. Any other history of violent behavior might be evaluated. The person's current circumstances, like recent stressors (for example, end of a relationship, family problems), sources of support, and accessibility of weapons are often probed. What treatment the person may be receiving and how he or she has responded to treatment recently and in the past, are other issues mental-health professionals tend to explore during an evaluation.
Sometimes professionals assess suicide risk by using an assessment scale. One such scale is called the SAD PERSONS Scale, which identifies risk factors for suicide as follows:
• Sex (male)

• Age younger than 19 or older than 45 years of age

• Depression (severe enough to be considered clinically significant)

• Previous suicide attempt or received mental-health services of any kind

• Excessive alcohol or other drug use

• Rational thinking lost

• Separated, divorced, or widowed (or other ending of significant relationship)

• Organized suicide plan or serious attempt

• No or little social support

• Sickness or chronic medical illness
How can people cope with suicidal thoughts?
In the effort to cope with suicidal thoughts, silence is the enemy. Suggestions for helping people survive suicidal thinking include engaging the help of a doctor or other health professional, a spiritual advisor, or by immediately calling a suicide hotline or going to the closest emergency room or mental-health crisis center. In order to prevent acting on thoughts of suicide, it is often suggested that individuals who have experienced suicidal thinking keep a written or mental list of people to call in the event that suicidal thoughts come back. Other strategies include having someone hold all medications to prevent overdose, removing knives, guns, and other weapons from the home, scheduling stress-relieving activities every day, getting together with others to prevent isolation, writing down feelings, including positive ones, and avoiding the use of alcohol or other drugs.
How can people cope with the suicide of a loved one?
Grief that is associated with the death of a loved one from suicide presents intense and unique challenges. In addition to the already significant pain endured by anyone who loses a loved one, suicide survivors may feel guilty about having not been able to prevent their loved one from killing themselves and the myriad conflicting emotions already discussed. Friends and family may be more likely to experience regret about whatever conflicts or other problems they had in their relationship with the deceased, and they may even feel guilty about living while their loved one is not. Therefore, individuals who lose a loved one from suicide are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the suicide while perhaps wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the suicide, feeling rejected by their loved one and stigmatized by others.
Some self-help techniques for coping with the suicide of a loved one include avoiding isolation by staying involved with others, sharing the experience by joining a support group or keeping a journal, thinking of ways to handle it when other life experiences trigger painful memories about the loss, understanding that getting better involves feeling better some days and worse on other days, resisting pressure to get over the loss, and the suicide survivor's doing what is right for them in their efforts to recover. Many people, particularly parents of children who commit suicide, take some comfort in being able to use this terrible experience as a way to establish a memorial to their loved one. That can take the form of everything from planting a tree or painting a mural in honor of the departed to establishing a scholarship fund in their loved one's name to teaching others about surviving child suicide. Generally, coping tips for grieving a death through suicide are nearly as different and numerous as there are bereaved individuals. The bereaved person's caring for him- or herself through continuing nutritious and regular eating habits and getting extra, although not excessive, rest can help strengthen their ability to endure this very difficult event.
Quite valuable tips for journaling as an effective way of managing bereavement rather than just stirring up painful feelings are provided by the Center for Journal Therapy. While encouraging those who choose to write a journal to apply no strict rules to the process as part of suicide recovery, some of the ideas encouraged include limiting the time journaling to 15 minutes per day or less to decrease the likelihood of worsening grief, writing how one imagines his or her life will be a year from the date of the suicide, and clearly identifying feelings to allow for easier tracking of the individual's grief process.
To help children and adolescents cope emotionally with the suicide of a friend or family member, it is important to ensure they receive consistent caretaking and frequent interaction with supportive adults. All children and teens can benefit from being reassured they did not cause their loved one to kill themselves, going a long way toward lessening the developmentally appropriate tendency children and adolescents have for blaming themselves and any angry feelings they may have harbored against their lost loved one for the suicide. For school-aged and older children, appropriate participation in school, social, and extracurricular activities is necessary to a successful resolution of grief. For adolescents, maintaining positive relationships with peers becomes important in helping teens figure out how to deal with a loved one's suicide. Depending on the adolescent, they even may find interactions with peers and family more helpful than formal sources of support like their school counselor.
Author Quote

Charles Caleb Colton Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.

Arthur Schopenhauer They tell us that suicide is the greatest piece of cowardice; . . . that suicide is wrong; when it is quite obvious that there is nothing in the world to which every man has a more unassailable title than to his own life and person.

?Immanuel Kant Suicide is not abominable because God prohibits it; God prohibits it because it is abominable.

Arthur Schopenhauer They tell us that suicide is the greatest piece of cowardice; . . . that suicide is wrong; when it is quite obvious that there is nothing in the world to which every man has a more unassailable title than to his own life and person.

Arthur Schopenhauer They tell us that suicide is the greatest piece of cowardice... that suicide is wrong; when it is quite obvious that there is nothing in the world to which every man has a more unassailable title than to his own life and person.

Bertrand Russell Drunkenness is temporary suicide.

Mohandas Gandhi If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.

Bill Maher Suicide is man's way of telling God, You can't fire me - I quit.

Bill Maher Suicide is man's way of telling God, "You can't fire me - I quit."

Ralph Waldo Emerson The Religion that is afraid of science dishonors God and commits suicide.

Steven Wright A man committed suicide by overdosing on decongestant tablets.All they found was a pile of dust.

Abraham Lincoln If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we must live through all time, or die by suicide.

Susan Sontag AIDS obliges people to think of sex as having, possibly, the direst consequences suicide. Or murder.

Charles Horton Cooley One should never criticize his own work except in a fresh and hopeful mood. The self-criticism of a tired mind is suicide.

Harry S Truman Those who want the Government to regulate matters of the mind and spirit are like men who are so afraid of being murdered that they commit suicide to avoid assassination.

Henry David Thoreau Do not despair of life. Think of the fox, prowling in a winter night to satisfy his hunger. His race survives I do not believe any of them ever committed suicide.

Albert Camus There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.

Steven Wright I once tried to commit suicide by jumping off a building... Ichanged my mind at the last minute, so I just flipped over andlanded on my feet. Two little kittens nearby saw what happenedand one turned to the other and said, "See, that's how it'sdone."

SHELLEY: _Peter Bell the Third, Hell,_ St. 6. There is great talk of revolution, And a great chance of despotism, German soldiers, camps, confusion, Tumults, lotteries, rage, delusion, Gin, suicide, and Methodism.

Joseph Heller Success and failure are both difficult to endure. Along with success come drugs, divorce, fornication, bullying, travel, meditation, medication, depression, neurosis and suicide. With failure comes failure.

?Immanuel Kant Suicide is not abominable because God prohibits it; God prohibits it because it is abominable.

Charles Caleb Colton Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.

Franz Kafka If the book we are reading does not wake us, as with a fist hammering on our skulls, then why do we read it Good God, we also would be happy if we had no books and such books that make us happy we could, if need be, write ourselves. What we must have are those books that come on us like ill fortune, like the death of one we love better than ourselves, like suicide. A book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us.

Ben Bova The problem is that Americans would like to be independent of the rest of the world ... Except the world ain't that way. Trying to be independent of the rest of the world is to commit suicide.

George Will In the 1940s a survey listed the top seven discipline problems in public schools talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, getting out of turn in line, wearing improper clothes, not putting paper in wastebaskets. A 1980s survey lists these top seven drug abuse, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, robbery, assault. (Arson, gang warfare and venereal disease are also-rans.)

Reviewing has one advantage over suicide: in suicide you take it out on yourself; in reviewing you take it out on other people.

Imitation is suicide.

Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder.

The perfect man of action, is the suicide.

Have you ever dated someone because you were too lazy to commit suicide?

Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide.

Suicide is the most sincere form of self criticism.

Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide.

Science comits suicide when it adopts a creed.

Someone bent on suicide won???t have much sense of humour left.

New members urgently required for Suicide Club.

I tried to commit suicide by sticking my head in the oven, but there was a cake in it.

The crime of suicide lies in its disregard for the feelings of those whom we leave behind.

Nobody ever committed suicide while reading a good book, but many have while trying to write one.

In New York City, one suicide in ten is attributed to a lack of storage space.

If you are of the opinion that the contemplation of suicide is sufficient evidence of a poetic nature, do not forget that actions speak louder than words.

Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide.

I have decided that suicide is completely out of the question. I refuse to end the suffering of others... No, I must contemplate homicide and end the suffering of one... ME!!!

"Bother," said Pooh as he forged Christopher Robin's suicide note.

"Brother," said Pooh, as he forged Christopher Robin's suicide note

"Brother," said Pooh as he forged Christopher Robin's suicide note.

"Bother," said Pooh, as he forged Christopher Robin's suicide note.

"Bother!" said Pooh, as he forged Necheyev's suicide note.

"Have you ever dated somebody because you were too lazy to commit suicide?"-Judy Tenuda

"Cat commits suicide, shot in head 9 times" say police.

"I can't decide whether to commit suicide or go bowling." -- Florence Henderson

"Bother," said Pooh, as he forged Necheyev's suicide note.

"Bother," said @F as he forged Christopher Robin's suicide note

"Bother," said Pooh as he forged Necheyev's suicide note.

"Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, Heavy Metal, Suicide" -I didn't start the

"Someone's tryin' to commit suicide in our jail cell." Sheriff Buck

"Bother," said Pooh, as the Suicide Hotline put him on hold

"Hello, Sacramento Kings Fans Suicide Hotline."

"Hello, San Diego Padres Fans Suicide Hotline."

"You spoke to 5 people and they all comitted suicide!" * Lister

"I was kidding about that suicide pact." Joel Robinson

"I think it's time we considered that suicide pact." Crow

"That ship was constructed for a suicide mission." Spock

"Never murder a man who is about to commit suicide." - German Proverb

"Regretable that this society has chosen suicide." Spock-2

"500 people, 1 gunshot and _everyone_ says they did it? Put suicide..."

"Have you ever dated somebody because you were too lazy to commit suicide?"

"All this, self-inflicted. Mass suicide!" Kirk

"Suicide Hotline...please hold for the next available..."

"That's not a plan! That's suicide!" -- Al Calavicci

"A murder is only an extraverted suicide."

"That's suicide, Data!" - Riker

Anybody who has listened to certain kinds of music, or read certain kinds of poetry, or heard certain kinds of performances on the concertina, will admit that even suicide has its brighter aspects.

"So what does Forensics say?" Sheridan "Suicide." Garibaldi