Suicide
Suicide is a tragic and potentially preventable public health problem. In
2000, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. Specifically,
10.6 out of every 100,000 persons died by suicide. The total number of suicides
was 29,350, or 1.2 percent of all deaths. Suicide deaths outnumber homicide
deaths by five to three. It has been estimated that there may be from eight to
25 attempted suicides per every one suicide death. The alarming numbers of
suicide deaths and attempts emphasize the need for carefully designed prevention
efforts.
Suicidal behavior is complex. Some risk factors vary with age, gender and
ethnic group and may even change over time. The risk factors for suicide
frequently occur in combination. Research has shown that more than 90 percent of
people who kill themselves have depression or another diagnosable mental or
substance abuse disorder, often in combination with other mental disorders.
Also, research indicates that alterations in neurotransmitters such as serotonin
are associated with the risk for suicide. Diminished levels of this brain
chemical have been found in patients with depression, impulsive disorders, a
history of violent suicide attempts, and also in postmortem brains of suicide
victims.
Adverse life events in combination with other risk factors such as depression
may lead to suicide. However, suicide and suicidal behavior are not normal
responses to stress. Many people have one or more risk factors and are not
suicidal. Other risk factors include: prior suicide attempt; family history of
mental disorder or substance abuse; family history of suicide; family violence,
including physical or sexual abuse; firearms in the home; incarceration; and
exposure to the suicidal behavior of others, including family members, peers, or
even in the media.
What should you do if someone tells you they are thinking about suicide?
If
someone tells you they are thinking about suicide, you should take their
distress seriously, listen nonjudgmentally, and help them get to a professional
for evaluation and treatment. People consider suicide when they are hopeless and
unable to see alternative solutions to problems. Suicidal behavior is most often
related to a mental disorder (depression) or to alcohol or other substance
abuse. Suicidal behavior is also more likely to occur when people experience
stressful events (major losses, incarceration). If someone is in imminent danger
of harming himself or herself, do not leave the person alone. You may need to
take emergency steps to get help, such as calling 911. When someone is in a
suicidal crisis, it is important to limit access to firearms or other lethal
means of committing suicide.
What are the most common methods of suicide?
Firearms are the most commonly
used method of suicide for men and women, accounting for 60 percent of all
suicides. Nearly 80 percent of all firearm suicides are committed by white
males. The second most common method for men is hanging; for women, the second
most common method is self-poisoning including drug overdose. The presence of a
firearm in the home has been found to be an independent, additional risk factor
for suicide. Thus, when a family member or health care provider is faced with an
individual at risk for suicide, they should make sure that firearms are removed
from the home.
Why do men commit suicide more often than women do?
More than four times as
many men as women die by suicide; but women attempt suicide more often during
their lives than do men, and women report higher rates of depression. Men and
women use different suicide methods. Women in all countries are more likely to
ingest poisons than men. In countries where the poisons are highly lethal and/or
where treatment resources scarce, rescue is rare and hence female suicides
outnumber males.