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Rising Suicide Rates


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This is a dark topic, but with suicide rates rising 30% nationwide since 1999, and I believe about 20% where I am, I'm wondering why. The reporting that I read indicated that at least 50% of the cases did not have any  diagnosis of any mental condition preceding the suicide. Then driving in today I heard that Anthony Bourdain committed suicide. Loved his show, and was saddened to hear that he took his life. What is going on?

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Yea, I'm going to miss Mr. Bourdain. Loved his show.  Got me more interested in travel and trying new foods. 

Wonder if increasing illegal drug use, to self medicate is a big part of the problem.  People should not be afraid to seek advice from a psychologist or psychiatrist.  There is no shame in it.

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I was thinking maybe it's tied to all of the anti-depressants that people can get easily now, so people are self-medicating. I haven't heard of a study correlating suicides with the taking of anti-depressants but I wonder. I mean 30% since '99?? That's a ridiculous increase. And there is plenty of evidence that a number of the anti-depressants backfire and increase the risk of suicides in certain ages and types of people.

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35 minutes ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

I was thinking maybe it's tied to all of the anti-depressants that people can get easily now, so people are self-medicating. I haven't heard of a study correlating suicides with the taking of anti-depressants but I wonder. I mean 30% since '99?? That's a ridiculous increase. And there is plenty of evidence that a number of the anti-depressants backfire and increase the risk of suicides in certain ages and types of people.

I was going to post prescription meds as soon as I read your original post.  I firmly believe that is the #1 contributing factor.

I've had close family members attempt it, and more distant family members succeed in doing it.  I've never been able to reconcile the why.  I used to be more judgmental years ago than I am now, but I still can't understand what pushes someone to do it.

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1 hour ago, 5fouls said:

I was going to post prescription meds as soon as I read your original post.  I firmly believe that is the #1 contributing factor.

I've had close family members attempt it, and more distant family members succeed in doing it.  I've never been able to reconcile the why.  I used to be more judgmental years ago than I am now, but I still can't understand what pushes someone to do it.

I am sorry to hear you have had family who have dealt with it. The why is a question that probably has many answers, and depression is difficult enemy. Like you I tend to think all of the meds out there are playing a real role here, but I am not aware of where things stand on causation studies. Have to think attention will focus more strongly on getting to the root of the problem as wide spread as it has become.

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I think a few big issues are the recession in 2008 and the opioid epidemic now. Prescription drugs certainly would be another, and I'd like to see research into our food as well. 

We do not eat in the way we were intended, no matter how you think we got to this point. I hypothesize our food and how it is changing has a negative impact on our brains. 

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And not trying to derail the thread with gun stuff, but firearms are used about half the time in suicides. Obviously there are other methods, but that is one of the most effective and easy. I think it's fair to wonder if more deterrence wouldn't save people's lives when they are in a momentary low spot. 

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Isolation is a wonderful retreat for those who obtain great success/wealth. When the isolation becomes normal...... depression can set in and from there it's a couple paths. Drugs/alcohol.....or prescription meds to deal with that depression that's caused by the isolation that's caused by the success. Vicious cycle.

 

 

 

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59 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

Isolation is a wonderful retreat for those who obtain great success/wealth. When the isolation becomes normal...... depression can set in and from there it's a couple paths. Drugs/alcohol.....or prescription meds to deal with that depression that's caused by the isolation that's caused by the success. Vicious cycle.

 

 

 

Been about 3 years ago I attended my HS class reunion and a old buddy of mine was there.  Hadn't seen him in awhile so I spent the majority of the night talking to him and his wife.  He was a millionaire on paper.  Very successful business man.  6 months later he took his own life.

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14 hours ago, KoB2011 said:

I think a few big issues are the recession in 2008 and the opioid epidemic now. Prescription drugs certainly would be another, and I'd like to see research into our food as well.  

No doubt loss of job/working for much lower wages is part of the problem. That leads to financial, family, drug issues. People need to do something (work/volunteer) to have a sense of self worth. Drugs, depression and possibly suicide are the result. 

Will be interesting to see if this trend reverses over the next 10 years now that people are working again. 

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20 hours ago, KoB2011 said:

I think a few big issues are the recession in 2008 and the opioid epidemic now. Prescription drugs certainly would be another, and I'd like to see research into our food as well. 

We do not eat in the way we were intended, no matter how you think we got to this point. I hypothesize our food and how it is changing has a negative impact on our brains. 

The way we eat is doing untold things to our bodies.  Girlfriend is a nutritionist.  It scares me.

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All of the above and more.

Drugs:

Anti-depressant drugs have a block box warning about suicidal and homicidal tendencies, this is especially strong when the drugs are not taken correctly or stopped cold turkey.  Almost every single school shooter has been on some form of anti-depressant. Some Doctors are pushing these drugs on anyone who’s ever gotten upset about anything and once they are on them it is very difficult to get off.

The biggest side effect (in my opinion) of our war in Afghanistan is the insanely huge increase in the amount of opium being grown there. The current opioid problem (not just in America) is a direct result of that increase.

Nutrition:

The lack of nutritional value in the average diet today is alarming. The nutrients that, say, an apple has today is nowhere near what it had 35 years ago.  The decrease in available nutrients from the soil is alarming and the increase in non-natural fertilizer is making things worse.

GMO foods are modified to allow higher and higher amounts of Round-Up (Glyphosate) to be used on a crops. Glyphosate contamination has been anecdotally linked to a number of neurological issues as well as cancer.  There are people who strongly believe that glyphosate is also a triggering agent of sorts, along with the increase in adjuvants in vaccines, that has led to the marked increase in autism.

Guns:

I am a big believer in responsible gun ownership.  The responsibility of owning a gun is what is most overlooked in the gun debate. If I start having suicidal or homicidal thoughts then it is my responsibility to do something with my guns so that I don’t become a danger to myself or somebody else. It is also my responsibility to have my guns locked up so that my children can’t access them.

Social Media:

I think the impact of social media can’t be overlooked.  I hardly ever get on Facebook, but when I do I am amazed at how much fun everyone but me is having every single day. I have a friend from IU that just took his entire family on vacation to Australia, I would have to take out a second mortgage on my house to be able to do that. As I understand, from talking to my kids about it, people rarely post about the crap that is going on in their lives and are constantly being told their political views are wrong (no matter which side they are on).

If I were having issues in my life and were thinking “what’s the point of it all”, getting on Facebook would probably send me over the edge.

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2 hours ago, SteveS said:

All of the above and more.

Drugs:

Anti-depressant drugs have a block box warning about suicidal and homicidal tendencies, this is especially strong when the drugs are not taken correctly or stopped cold turkey.  Almost every single school shooter has been on some form of anti-depressant. Some Doctors are pushing these drugs on anyone who’s ever gotten upset about anything and once they are on them it is very difficult to get off.

The biggest side effect (in my opinion) of our war in Afghanistan is the insanely huge increase in the amount of opium being grown there. The current opioid problem (not just in America) is a direct result of that increase.

Nutrition:

The lack of nutritional value in the average diet today is alarming. The nutrients that, say, an apple has today is nowhere near what it had 35 years ago.  The decrease in available nutrients from the soil is alarming and the increase in non-natural fertilizer is making things worse.

GMO foods are modified to allow higher and higher amounts of Round-Up (Glyphosate) to be used on a crops. Glyphosate contamination has been anecdotally linked to a number of neurological issues as well as cancer.  There are people who strongly believe that glyphosate is also a triggering agent of sorts, along with the increase in adjuvants in vaccines, that has led to the marked increase in autism.

Guns:

I am a big believer in responsible gun ownership.  The responsibility of owning a gun is what is most overlooked in the gun debate. If I start having suicidal or homicidal thoughts then it is my responsibility to do something with my guns so that I don’t become a danger to myself or somebody else. It is also my responsibility to have my guns locked up so that my children can’t access them.

Social Media:

I think the impact of social media can’t be overlooked.  I hardly ever get on Facebook, but when I do I am amazed at how much fun everyone but me is having every single day. I have a friend from IU that just took his entire family on vacation to Australia, I would have to take out a second mortgage on my house to be able to do that. As I understand, from talking to my kids about it, people rarely post about the crap that is going on in their lives and are constantly being told their political views are wrong (no matter which side they are on).

If I were having issues in my life and were thinking “what’s the point of it all”, getting on Facebook would probably send me over the edge.

Really good, well thought out, post. 

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I have touched previously on some of the challenges my wife faces....

She was widowed at age 20 when her husband took his life. Left behind a 1 and a 3 year old that I adopted when we married. The husband had had a tragic automobile accident that left him with ongoing and probably lifelong health problems. he was unable to hold a steady job, got hooked on the pain medication, and became reclusive. Ended up barricading himself in the bathroom and shooting himself....

I have a 15 year old granddaughter who has recently come out as gay. She has lost friends due to this, has had friend's parents tell her to her face that she was no longer welcome in their homes. My son married her mother, so technically she is a step-granddaughter, but to us there is no differentiation --we love her unconditionally. Unfortunately, her biological father has not accepted this and is a major part of the problem. They were at our house last weekend, and evidently granddaughter posted things on social media that caused alarm amongst her few remaining friends to the point that the authorities were notified, and my son and daughter in law have been on high alert for warning signs of any further possible danger. Granddaughter has been in counselling, with a limited impact. Tried various meds, none which seem to be effective. Has the love and support of her mom and step-dad, an older sister, us as well as other grandparents. Still....she felt that things were bad enough that she has contemplated taking her life, more than once.

I think that loss of hope is the commonality between these two situations. I think that when a person sees no possibilities for a brighter future, when they feel that their lives are only going to be pain and suffering, that many give up. They cocoon themselves and shun outside help, and their problems self-perpetuate and continue to grow. Isolationism becomes more comforting than taking a step outside themselves, for fear of further failure, shunning or whatever.

I said this in the mental health thread, and firmly believe this. If you have not heard from a family member, friend, co-worker, or anyone you care about for awhile, check in on them. Let them know you are thinking of them. Spend some time with them...LISTEN to them. Put your arms around them and give them a hug. Remind them that they have value. Encourage them to seek help...go with them to seek help if need be. Ignoring the person because it may put you out or make you uncomfortable being with them just further reinforces the belief that the person already has of themselves... that they lack worth, and that there is no hope that things will change for them.

Meds, guns, social media , etc., are all parts of the problem. However, imo the real issue is the lack of human connectivity that comes when we forget that everyone needs to be loved, valued and encouraged . Reprioritizing life, realizing that work can wait, that the phone can be put down, the earbuds taken off...so that you can be approachable and welcoming, and leaving the judgement out of the picture... can help those who have lost hope to maybe find their way.

 

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3 hours ago, Jerry Lundergaard said:

I have touched previously on some of the challenges my wife faces....

She was widowed at age 20 when her husband took his life. Left behind a 1 and a 3 year old that I adopted when we married. The husband had had a tragic automobile accident that left him with ongoing and probably lifelong health problems. he was unable to hold a steady job, got hooked on the pain medication, and became reclusive. Ended up barricading himself in the bathroom and shooting himself....

I have a 15 year old granddaughter who has recently come out as gay. She has lost friends due to this, has had friend's parents tell her to her face that she was no longer welcome in their homes. My son married her mother, so technically she is a step-granddaughter, but to us there is no differentiation --we love her unconditionally. Unfortunately, her biological father has not accepted this and is a major part of the problem. They were at our house last weekend, and evidently granddaughter posted things on social media that caused alarm amongst her few remaining friends to the point that the authorities were notified, and my son and daughter in law have been on high alert for warning signs of any further possible danger. Granddaughter has been in counselling, with a limited impact. Tried various meds, none which seem to be effective. Has the love and support of her mom and step-dad, an older sister, us as well as other grandparents. Still....she felt that things were bad enough that she has contemplated taking her life, more than once.

I think that loss of hope is the commonality between these two situations. I think that when a person sees no possibilities for a brighter future, when they feel that their lives are only going to be pain and suffering, that many give up. They cocoon themselves and shun outside help, and their problems self-perpetuate and continue to grow. Isolationism becomes more comforting than taking a step outside themselves, for fear of further failure, shunning or whatever.

I said this in the mental health thread, and firmly believe this. If you have not heard from a family member, friend, co-worker, or anyone you care about for awhile, check in on them. Let them know you are thinking of them. Spend some time with them...LISTEN to them. Put your arms around them and give them a hug. Remind them that they have value. Encourage them to seek help...go with them to seek help if need be. Ignoring the person because it may put you out or make you uncomfortable being with them just further reinforces the belief that the person already has of themselves... that they lack worth, and that there is no hope that things will change for them.

Meds, guns, social media , etc., are all parts of the problem. However, imo the real issue is the lack of human connectivity that comes when we forget that everyone needs to be loved, valued and encouraged . Reprioritizing life, realizing that work can wait, that the phone can be put down, the earbuds taken off...so that you can be approachable and welcoming, and leaving the judgement out of the picture... can help those who have lost hope to maybe find their way.

 

Sometimes nothing can be done, but sometimes all it takes is being there for someone.  Being a nonjudgmental friend, being supportive, caring about them.  If people have someone they care about and can reach out to when they are depressed or having suicidal thoughts, that might be enough to keep them from trying to take their life.

I can't get too into my two experiences with suicide attempt survivors because they're former students of mine, but I agree with pretty much all of your post.  The thing I always tell kids and especially these two girls specifically is to find something that makes them happy.  Each day I would have the two of them tell me something they did the previous day that made them happy or something they like about themselves.  I would keep a list too of things I like about them as students and give it to them when I could tell they were having a particularly bad day.

Getting out of depression is a long road, and is sometimes a road that never ends.  I would say that everybody should learn the warning signs of depression.  We can't be there for everyone in our lives.  There's not enough time in the day for that, but if people can notice the signs of someone going through depression and give them a little extra focus, that can sometimes help.

A lot of depression comes from toxic relationships with other people, so I told my two students to only focus on people who made them happy.  I'll never forget, one of my girls saw me by the printer when we got back from summer and came and gave me a big hug.  She said, "Mr. *****, I had a great summer.  I finally learned how to be happy and how to love myself."

The biggest thing I've learned is to talk to people like they're any other person.  If you're worried enough, help get them the help they need.  Don't be their therapist, be their friend.  Listen to them when they need it, but don't make the whole relationship about their problems.  Be someone they can look forward to getting their mind off their problems.  Reserve the therapy for the professionals or the days when they really need someone to be their for them.

I don't know why suicides have gone up, but I think we're starting to catch on to the importance of mental health awareness.  Hopefully as we become more aware of our mental health and the mental health of others, more people will get help before they start having suicidal thoughts.

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An article caught my eye that I would have passed over if not for reading this thread. Blames increased suicide rate on increased anti depressant use. Anti depressant use up 65% in last 20 years, Kate spade was on anti depressants. This article was linked- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/14/antidepressants-can-raise-the-risk-of-suicide-biggest-ever-revie/. I'd be very wary about going on these.

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19 hours ago, SteveS said:

All of the above and more.

Drugs:

Anti-depressant drugs have a block box warning about suicidal and homicidal tendencies, this is especially strong when the drugs are not taken correctly or stopped cold turkey.  Almost every single school shooter has been on some form of anti-depressant. Some Doctors are pushing these drugs on anyone who’s ever gotten upset about anything and once they are on them it is very difficult to get off.

The biggest side effect (in my opinion) of our war in Afghanistan is the insanely huge increase in the amount of opium being grown there. The current opioid problem (not just in America) is a direct result of that increase.

Nutrition:

The lack of nutritional value in the average diet today is alarming. The nutrients that, say, an apple has today is nowhere near what it had 35 years ago.  The decrease in available nutrients from the soil is alarming and the increase in non-natural fertilizer is making things worse.

GMO foods are modified to allow higher and higher amounts of Round-Up (Glyphosate) to be used on a crops. Glyphosate contamination has been anecdotally linked to a number of neurological issues as well as cancer.  There are people who strongly believe that glyphosate is also a triggering agent of sorts, along with the increase in adjuvants in vaccines, that has led to the marked increase in autism.

Guns:

I am a big believer in responsible gun ownership.  The responsibility of owning a gun is what is most overlooked in the gun debate. If I start having suicidal or homicidal thoughts then it is my responsibility to do something with my guns so that I don’t become a danger to myself or somebody else. It is also my responsibility to have my guns locked up so that my children can’t access them.

Social Media:

I think the impact of social media can’t be overlooked.  I hardly ever get on Facebook, but when I do I am amazed at how much fun everyone but me is having every single day. I have a friend from IU that just took his entire family on vacation to Australia, I would have to take out a second mortgage on my house to be able to do that. As I understand, from talking to my kids about it, people rarely post about the crap that is going on in their lives and are constantly being told their political views are wrong (no matter which side they are on).

If I were having issues in my life and were thinking “what’s the point of it all”, getting on Facebook would probably send me over the edge.

Couldn’t agree more on FaceBook - it’s like bragging on how great your life is, is the norm. No one is going to post the negative stuff, And if you’re depressed it’s not a good place to spend time 

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I think social media is a big reason for this.  Just like with school shootings, the increase in suicides correlates with the development of social media and a 24 hour news cycle that sells fear and doom&gloom. 

I know my mental health got better when I checked out of those 2 things and tuned out the noise.

I personally think social media is wreaking havoc on society.  

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One thing that has not been brought up yet, is how we handle death.  The death of a family member, a close friend, or even a pet.  I can honestly say I don't handle it well.  A couple of years ago I was talking to one of my best friends on the phone.....5 hours later I was informed by his wife that he had died of a massive heart attack.  I gave the eulogy at his funeral.  I was devastated that he was gone.  I spent a month of being drunk because I couldn't handle his passing.  Yes, I was depressed.

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