Over 40,000 Americans killed themselves in 2012 with Mondays in May accounting for maximum deaths, says a report by the American Association of Suicideology. The figure exceeds the total deaths in car crashes.
The suicide rate has witnessed a rise from 11 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 13 seven years later.
The question arises: What drives people to take their own lives ? A depressed person has better chances of getting drawn towards this . The suicide rate also accelerates when times are hard and trying. During the great depression it surged to a record 19 per 100,000 the recent financial crisis also witnessed some rise in deaths by suicide.
Yeats Conwell, a psychiatrist at the University of Rochester Medical Centre says,” Even just uncertainty over employment makes people worry a lot.”
Historically, the over-75s have been most likely to commit suicides, especially if they are lonely or ill but 2012 the suicide rate for Americans aged 45-54 touched 20 per 100,000—the highest for any age group. For those aged 55-64 it was 18; for the over-65s it was 15. People at their middle ages find it very hard to cope up with their frustration when they realize their youthful ambitions will never be fulfilled.
He tried to kill himself more than once; fortunately, his attempts came to nothing. But the same cannot be said for a growing share of Americans. The suicide rate has risen from 11 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 13 seven years later. In the time it takes you to read this article, six Americans will try to kill themselves; in another ten minutes one will succeed.
Over 40,000 Americans took their own lives in 2012—more than died in car crashes—says the American Association of Suicidology. Mondays in May see the most incidents. The rates are highest in Wyoming and Montana, perhaps because guns—which are more effective than pills—are so common there (see chart). Nationally, guns are used in half of all successful suicides.
The report also suggests that women are prone to make attempts at their life whereas the success rate is higher among males as they use bloodier method like guns. . Women may be better at asking for help; overall, they are two and a half times more likely than men to take anti-depressants. African-Americans are three times less likely to kill themselves than whites whereas Blacks are five times more likely to be murdered with a gun than to kill themelves with one; for whites it is the other way round.
Military veterans have an increased suicidal tendencies than civilians. They find it hard to overcome the trauma of combat A survey by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group, found that 31% of veterans had considered taking their own lives.
Congress is mulling a bill to overhaul how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles the problem. Data from 48 states suggest that 30 out of 100,000 veterans kill themselves each year—a rate far higher than among civilians., or to adjust to civilian life.
Activists say that government is not doing much to prevent suicide. “Only $40m of federal funding will go to anti-suicide programmes this year and his does not include the billions the government spends on mental-health problems more broadly.” complains Christine Moutier from American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
The report also reveals, anti-depressants, are often very effective. More than 20 studies have found that when fewer people end their own lives when anti-depressants are available.
For example, between 1991 and 1996 Swedes consumes 240% more anti-depressants and the suicide rate fell by 19%. But it is hard to establish a direct link. And other studies suggest that certain anti-depressants lead young people to think more about suicide.
Making it little difficult to kill yourself has also been very effective. After Britain switched to blister packs in 1998, which required people to punch pills out one by one, deaths from overdoses of paracetamol (the active ingredient in Tylenol) dropped 44% in 11 years.
On the other hand, American pharmacists still sell painkillers loose in pots which enable people to pour the whole lot down their throats in one movement.
Counselling also plays a critical role in dissuading people who mull over committing suicide. “a safe, confidential place to talk during up to ten sessions saw repeat attempts and actual suicides drop more than 25%” suggests a Danish study of 65000 people who have ahd suicidal tendencies in between 1992 to 2010
