Suicide never affects just one person. In fact, it has been said that every suicide affects at least six other people. In spite of this, most of us have misconceptions about suicide, its causes, and how we can provide help and support to those we know that may be affected by it. That doesn’t mean, however, that help isn’t available. Suicide hotlines are staffed by people trained to help in desperate situations. But you don’t have to be a suicide hotline operator to be informed about the topic. Nobody wants to kill themselves, they just want their pain to go away. In fact, many times after people attempt suicide by swallowing pills or jumping off of a building they immediately regret their decision. Whether it’s your friend or family member, just being informed about suicide and being willing to help can make a huge difference. This doesn’t mean that you have to be an expert. In many cases it can mean something as simple as listening and being there for them. These are 25 sad reasons we should all be more informed about suicide.
Gun and man featured image by in transition via Flickr CC2.0.
If you or someone you know is dealing with suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255
1 in 25 American teenagers has attempted suicide
Source: dailymail.co.uk, Image: wikipedia
In fact, there are more people that commit suicide in New York City than are murdered
Source: discovermagazine.com, Image: wikipedia
In the United States as a whole, you are twice as likely to die of suicide as you are of murder
Source: freakonomics.com, Image: wikipedia
On a global scale, every 40 seconds somebody somewhere commits suicide
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
The Golden Gate bridge is the number 1 suicide hotspot on Earth
Source: latimes.com, Image: wikipedia
Most suicide attempts fail. Only 1 in every 10-25 succeeds.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Established writers and artists are 18 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person
Source: wps.prenhall.com, Image: wikipedia
Untreated depression is the number 1 cause of suicide (alcohol often plays a role)
Source: “Facts about Suicide and Mental Disorders in Adolescents.” Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Image: pixabay
2/3 of people who commit suicide are clinically depressed at the time of their death
Source: dosomething.org, Image: pixabay
Males are more likely to successfully commit suicide than females because they typically choose more lethal methods like gunshots to the head (females typically choose something less definitively lethal, like overdosing on pills)
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Females, however, are much more likely to think about and contemplate suicide than men.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
More American soldiers committed suicide than died in combat in 2012
Source: theguardian.com, Image: wikipedia
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 50% of all suicides are completed with a firearm.
Source: National Institue of Mental Health, Image: Wikipedia
Contrary to the popular belief that most suicides occur in winter, the season with the highest rate of suicide is spring
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Scientists are not sure why but postulate that perhaps changing levels of natural light give people enough energy to attempt suicide
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Which brings us to another misconception – that you must be extremely depressed to kill yourself. This is wrong. Extreme depression actually makes it nearly impossible to do anything. This includes everything from getting out of bed to committing suicide.
Image: pixabay, Image: wikipedia
Resesarchers at the University of California say that Wednesday is the most common day for people to commit suicide
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Suicide rates also increase with altitude. At 2,000 meters they are 70% higher.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Another myth is that teenagers are the most at risk for suicide. While suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people, the elderly are much more likely to commit suicide.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
The most at risk demographic is white males over the age of 85.
Source: wikipedia, Image: Xavi Talleda via flickr
In fact, besides Native Americans, whites are by the far the most likely to commit suicide.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
In England and Wales, attempted suicide was often punished with jail time until 1961 (it is still considered a crime in some places)
Source: bbc, Image: wikipedia
In Japan, if you commit suicide by jumping in front of a train, your family could be charged a disruption fee. (This is evaluated on a case by case basis)
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
Writers who use the first person have been found to have a higher rate of suicide (Ernest Hemingway, Sylvia Plath, David Foster Wallace)
Source: wikipedia, Image: pixabay
Wealthier nations have a higher rate of suicide than poorer nations
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
