by Bruce Tyson

Created on: March 01, 2010

An awareness of what factors push a person to suicide and how to identify dangerous patterns, we can help our friends and family by getting them the necessary interventions before any harm is done.

Suicidal thoughts are fairly common in human beings, at least in our society. Although most people never act on such thoughts, about half a million every year attempt to take their own lives. Out of that group nearly 10% are successful. This may not sound like a lot, but when you realize that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States every year, you can understand that it is a significant problem.

Who is at risk for suicide?

We should be mindful of those around us whose life situation indicates a higher suicide risk. Although College students between the ages of 18 years old and 24 years old. Other age groups that are risk are the elderly who are over 65 and males between the ages of 45 and 54. The latter is the age group that commits suicide the most.

Ethnic background also has a role in suicide. For example, suicide occurs most frequently among whites who are not Hispanic and Native Americans. Between the genders, women attempt suicide more often, but males are more successful.

Experiencing one or more stressful situations simultaneously or within a short timeframe are indications that a person is at risk for suicide. Those with relationship problems such as divorce are at risk as well as those who have suffered loss of a job and are unable to find new employment are at particular risk. Also, a higher percentage of suicides occur among those of lower socioeconomic status.

Statistics also show that people who have already tried to kill themselves one or more times are at substantially higher risk to re-attempt. Also, suicides occur at much higher rates among people who have mood or other psychological disorders.

Reasons for suicide

The primary cause for suicide is that people see limited possible solutions to their problems or that there is no way out of their present circumstances. This may indicate inadequate skills for problem solving, but it also may indicate a severe situation where there is no conceivable way through present circumstances.

Others have severe or terminal illnesses and no longer desire to live a life of pain. Suicide among the elderly occurs most often after the death of a partner or upon onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Regardless of the situation, it is often extreme stress that contributes to a suicidal situation.

Impending suicide

A family member who meets any of the criteria for being at risk for suicide or has severe and stressful situations that cannot be solved may be suicidal. Suicidal people usually behave in ways that indicate their intentions. Some of these are:

- Direct statements that the person is thinking about suicide.

- Getting rid of or giving away possessions.

- Preparation for death like creating a will or making funeral or burial arrangements.

- Sudden purchase of a gun, knife, or other dangerous item.

- Abrupt calm that is often misunderstood by observers as hope. In fact, once the decision to commit suicide has been made, the person is at peace knowing that a solution has been identified.

It’s hard to tell exactly when – if ever -  a person who is hopeless will try to hurt themselves, but being alert for warning signs and risk factors can help you get them help before it’s too late.

References

Nevid, Jefferey S., Spencer A. Rathus, and Beverly A Greene. Abnormal psychology in a changing world. 7th. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2008.

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