By: Julie Wheeler

SUICIDE

WHO IS AT RISK?

The elderly have the highest suicide rate, particularly older

white males.

People who suffer from mental illness, substance abuse,

previous suicide attempts, have a family history of suicide, history

of being sexually abused, and impulsive or aggressive tendencies

have a higher chance of dying from suicide.

Lack of serotonin in the brain is a leading cause of suicidal

thoughts and it has been found that both depression and suicidal

behavior can be linked to a decreased amount of serotonin.

RISK FACTORS CONTINUED

Firearms increase the chance of suicide in a home.

Someone who is or has suffered from depression is more

likely to die by suicide.

“Suicide Contagion”: This is when people are over exposed

to suicide in their lives but more in the news. • They give too many details on the suicide such as

acute stressors that person suffered from.• This can plant suicidal thoughts in someone's mind

STATISTICS

Nearly 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year.

In the U.S., suicide rates are highest during the spring.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds and

second for 24- to 35-year-olds.

On average, one person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes.

Each suicide intimately affects at least six other people.

About two-thirds of people who complete suicide are depressed at

the time of their deaths. Depression that is untreated, undiagnosed,

or ineffectively treated is the number one cause of suicide.

STATISTICS CONTINUED

There is one suicide for every 25 attempted

suicides.

Males make up 79 percent of all suicides, while

women are more prone to having suicidal thoughts.

1 in 65,000 children ages 10 to 14 commit suicide

each year.

There are twice as many deaths due to suicide than

HIV/AIDS.

HOW TO PREVENT IT

Speak up if you are worried• The best way to find out is to ask, its hard for

suicidal people to say how they feel

Respond quickly in crisis• If someone expresses they wish to take their own

life, a quick response is necessary.

Offer help and support• Be a listening ear, show them you care

WARNING SIGNS

Talking about suicide

Seeking out lethal means

Preoccupation with death

No hope for the future

Self-loathing, self-hatred

Getting affairs in order

Saying goodbye

Withdrawing from others

Self-destructive behavior

FUN FACTSAlaska has the highest suicide rate, being at 21.8

out of 100,000 people dying by suicide

China accounts for nearly a quarter of the global

total of suicides with between 250,000 and 300,000

suicides a year

Throughout the world, approximately 2,000 people

kill themselves each day

5 to 10% of suicides take place in mental hospitals

FUN FACTS CONTINUED

Since the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937,

more than 1,200 people have jumped to their deaths,

making it the number one spot in the world for

suicides

One suicide victim who committed suicide by

jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge left behind a

note saying: “I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one

person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.”

VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-eOr0LhrGo

WORKS CITED

Melinda, S.. N.p.. Web. 26 Mar 2014.

<http://www.helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm>.

. N.p.. Web. 26 Mar 2014.

<http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?article

key=84760>.

. N.p.. Web. 26 Mar 2014.

<http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/15_suicide.html>.

Requiem - A Short Film About Teen Suicide. N.d. video.

youtube.comWeb. 26 Mar 2014. <Requiem - A Short Film

About Teen Suicide>.

WORKS CITED

"Suicide:20 States With Highest Rate." CBSNEWS. N.p.. Web.

26 Mar 2014. <http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/suicide-20-

states-with-highest-rates/22/>.

"11 Facts About Suicide." dosomething.org. N.p.. Web. 26

Mar 2014. <https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-

facts-about-suicide>.