Overall, suicide is the seventh leading cause of death for males and the sixteenth leading cause of death for females. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death for all ages, with more than 36,000 deaths occurring in the U.S.
Summertime and the living is easy, but sometimes the living is not easy. As we learned with recent deadly events in our country, “all that glitters is not gold.” Sometimes, when it comes to our emotional well-being or the well-being of people we may know, appearance is not reality. So the more we pay attention, the more we are able to help. How we approach someone might mean the difference between whether we helped someone through this life or whether we hindered someone. The key to helping others is listening and empathizing. Invisible illnesses like depression can happen to all of us at anytime, but knowing the symptoms is becoming our social responsibility.
According to statistics, women attempt suicide three to four more often than men, but men are four times more successful at completing a suicide because once the decision is made, men tend to use more lethal weapons, namely a firearm. Among men, the non-ethnic elderly have the highest rate of suicide. Also, first responders, military and emergency personnel, police officers, and sufferers of past or present abuse face higher risks of suicide. Invisible illnesses like depression or PTSD often lead to hopelessness, which can greatly increase the risk of suicide.
Women attempt suicide more often, but why is it, women are more inclined to try and take their lives? There are too many factors to know for sure. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women face many different challenges more often than men—single-parenting, multi-tasking, physical, emotional or sexual abuse--but no single event causes anyone to take their own lives.
Suicide has been called a final act of aggression against oneself. Women are known caregivers, and often that is their primary purpose in life. When children grow up and move away, adjustments must be made, whether married or single. At some point in life, a woman can feel isolated and lose contact with girlfriends or family members who used to care. Emotional stress might stem from marital problems that surfaced when the kids moved away. Especially for non-ethnic women, the highest suicide rate occurs among women between the ages of 45-54. Taking a closer look at these demographics, the high rate of suicide in this age group only makes sense.
When a woman is between the ages of 45 and 54, her entire world starts to change. The marriage is changed because parents become empty-nesters, but they may not have grand children just yet. Their physical condition and appearance begin to change, and a woman might not feel as attractive. Also, a woman might feel she has fewer options when it comes to making adjustments. Whereas society accepts an older man being attracted to younger women, a woman does not have the same level of approval when she is attracted to a younger man.
When a man is 65 or even 70, he is still considered a good “catch,” despite his physical appearance. Most of the attention is focused on his circumstances and bank account. A man is rarely too old to be considered attractive to members of the opposite sex, and when he does become "old", he might lose his enthusiasm for life, which might explain why elderly white males have the greatest rate of suicide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in the general population, for every 25 attempts, a suicide happens. But among adults ages 65 and older, that number increases to approximately four suicide attempts for every completed suicide.
If we take a closer look at the research, some persons of a certain age group might be more susceptible to suicide due to changing conditions in their lives. Our global society demands all of our attention and most of our waking time, but it only takes one day to save or lose a life. Sometimes, the willpower to survive for another 24 hours can be inspired by a smile, a friendly hello, or opening someone’s door. Surviving happens one day at a time.
Suicide is becoming an epidemic, and it’s up to each of us to become aware of challenges faced by people we may or may not know. A simple smile, a genuine hello, or a telephone call to a relative or friend just might mean the difference between life and death.
Are you doing anything to help someone along the way? What do you say?
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