Did you know that 48,183 people committed suicide in 2021 and that number was estimated to increase to 49,449 in 2022 (CDC, Suicide Prevention)?
That is almost 100,000 people in the span of 2 years who decided death was the only way to get peace and victory over life’s disappointments, heartache, troubles, and whatever else may have plagued their minds and lives.
Suicide is a term, an issue, that is not spoken of casually and in everyday conversations, but it is certainly not a stranger when it’s seen on social media and in the news and when there’s a personal connection to it. People of all ages, backgrounds, socioeconomic status, sex, religions, and races suffer from suicide; it is no respecter of persons. As a result, it is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the alarm is being sounded. Awareness must be brought to this issue that is not only taking the lives of so many people but impacting the lives of so many others once the victim is no longer here.
According to the CDC, “Suicide is rarely caused by a single circumstance or event. Instead, a range of factors—at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels—can increase risk. Individual risk factors include a previous suicide attempt, history of depression and other mental illnesses, serious illness such as chronic pain, criminal/legal problems, job/financial problems or loss, impulsive or aggressive tendencies, substance use, current or prior history of adverse childhood experiences, sense of hopelessness, and violence victimization and/or perpetration.
Relationship risk factors include bullying, family/loved one’s history of suicide, loss of relationships, high conflict or violent relationships, social isolation.
Community risk factors include lack of access to health care, suicide cluster in the community, stress of acculturation, community violence, historical trauma, and discrimination.
Societal risk factors include stigma associated with help-seeking and mental illness, easy access to lethal means of suicide among people at risk, and unsafe media portrayals of suicide.”
Warning signs for suicide are talking about being a burden, being isolated, increased anxiety, talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain, increased substance use, looking for a way to access lethal means, increased anger or rage, extreme mood swings, expressing hopelessness, sleeping too little or too much, talking or posting about wanting to die, and making plans for suicide.
If you, or someone you know, have at least one of the aforementioned risk factors as well as exhibit at least one of the warning signs, know that it is not too late and YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Factors that protect against suicide are “effective coping and problem-solving skills, reasons for living (for example, family, friends, pets, etc.), strong sense of cultural identity, support from partners, friends, and family, feeling connected to others, feeling connected to school, community, and other social institutions, availability of consistent and high quality physical and behavioral health care, reduced access to lethal means of suicide among people at risk, and cultural, religious, or moral objections to suicide” (CDC, Suicide Prevention).
If you do not feel you have access to a readily available support system, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988. Chat at 988lifeline.org. Connect with a trained crisis counselor. 988 is confidential, free, and available 24/7/365. Visit the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for more information at 988lifeline.org.
