• Suicide is the act of taking one's own life. Suicide accounts for about 1% of yearly deaths in the United States and is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-24.WebMD: Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicide Approximately one in ten of those who threaten suicide will go on to kill themselves and one in three people who attempt suicide will repeat the attempt within a year.The New York Times: Suicide and Suicidal Behavior

• Fast Facts

  1. In 2005, approximately 32,000 Americans committed suicideThe New York Times: The Urge to End It All (July 6, 2008)
  2. American suicide rates have changed little in the past 40 yearsThe New York Times: The Urge to End It All (July 6, 2008)
  3. 90% of those who commit suicide have some sort of mental health disorderThe New York Times: The Urge to End It All (July 6, 2008)
  4. Men who attempt suicide are more likely to be successful than womenThe New York Times: Suicide and Suicidal Behavior
  5. 73% of those who commit suicide are white malesWebMD: Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicide
  6. Up to one million people commit suicide worldwide every yearMedicineNet: Suicide
  7. Rise in suicide rates among U.S. Marines prompts marine officials to require a 2-hour suicide prevention presentation beginning in March of 2009Los Angeles Times: Marine suicide rate up, prompting more prevention training (February 28, 2009)

• Warning Signs of Suicide

  1. Talking about or threatening to commit suicide
  2. Alcohol or drug use
  3. Giving away possessions
  4. Engaging in dangerous behavior
  5. Depression
  6. Sudden behavioral changes
  7. Lack of interest in the futureYoung Adult Health: Suicide

• Disclaimer

  The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you or someone you know may be suicidal, please consult your doctor.

• Why do people kill themselves or try to?

  Most teens interviewed after making a suicide attempt say that they did it because they were trying to escape from a situation that seemed impossible to deal with or to get relief from really bad thoughts or feelings. Like Ethan, they didn't want to die as much as they wanted to escape from what was going on. And at that particular moment dying seemed like the only way out.

  Some people who end their lives or attempt suicide might be trying to escape feelings of rejection, hurt, or loss. Others might be angry, ashamed, or guilty about something. Some people may be worried about disappointing friends or family members. And some may feel unwanted, unloved, victimized, or like they're a burden to others.

  We all feel overwhelmed by difficult emotions or situations sometimes. But most people get through it or can put their problems in perspective and find a way to carry on with determination and hope. So why does one person try suicide when another person in the same tough situation does not? What makes some people more resilient (better able to deal with life's setbacks and difficulties) than others? What makes a person unable to see another way out of a bad situation besides ending his or her life?

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Depression | Mental Illness | 90 Day Jane | David Phyall | Deathcasting | Holiday Blues | Pepsi Suicide Ads | Assisted Suicide | John Costelloe | Adolf Merckle

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