September is Suicide Prevention Month.
The rates of suicide among baby boomers, especially baby boomer men, are up sharply.
The suicide rate for adults aged 35 to 64 years in the United States increased from 1999 to 2010, rising 28 percent to 17.6 for every 100,000 people, according to the article “Boomers Face a Greater Risk of Depression and Suicide.”
“Traditionally, suicide prevention efforts have been focused mostly on youths and older adults, but recent evidence suggests that there have been substantial increases in suicide rates among middle-aged adults in the U.S.,” according to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The suicide of Robin Williams brought attention to the increase in suicide rates among boomers.
“The trend started a decade before the 2008 recession, and some psychologists and academics say it may stem from a complex set of issues particular to a generation that grew up during the 1950s and ’60s, when the country seemed to hold a limitless array of possibilities,” said the Washington Post article “Robin Williams’s Death Shows the Power of Depression and the Impulsiveness of Suicide.”
Who is at risk?
Risk factors for suicide include:
- Previous suicide attempt or attempts.
- History of depression or other mental illness.
- Alcohol or drug abuse.
- Family history of suicide or violence.
- Physical illness.
- Feeling alone.
- Hopelessness.
- Recent loss of loved ones.
- Unemployment.
How can suicide be prevented?
Suicide is a significant public health problem, and there is a lot to learn about how to prevent it, the CDC said in its fact sheet “Understanding Suicide.”
One strategy is to learn about the warning signs of suicide, which can include individuals talking about wanting to hurt themselves, increasing substance use, and having changes in their mood, diet, or sleeping patterns. When these warning signs appear, quickly connecting the person to supportive services is critical, the CDC said
Promoting opportunities and settings that strengthen connections among people, families, and communities is another suicide prevention goal.
What resources are available?
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: www.nami.org
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
In addition to September being Suicide Prevention Month, World Suicide Prevention Day is Sept. 10 and National Suicide Prevention week is Sept. 8 to 14.
This year’s World Suicide Prevention Day theme is “Suicide Prevention: One World Connected.” It will focus on raising awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death on a global level.
