Suicide Causes and Prevention

“Approximately every 18 minutes, someone in the United State commits suicide” (Flanders 3). Ranked tenth in leading causes of death in the United States, suicide claims the lives of more than thirty thousand people a year (Flanders 3). Recently, there has been an increase in self-destructive behavior among young adults (Flanders 3). “Almost everyone in the United States has been touched in some way by suicide” (Flanders 20). By studying the social issue of suicide, one can identify the causes and help prevent more deaths.

Due to the combination of multiple factors in an individual, the act of suicide can happen (The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine). Over 90 percent of suicides are the result of a mental illness at the time of their death (Caruso). Most common among those mental illnesses is depression (Caruso). Although, some individuals seem to have a happy life, some are genetically susceptible to depression (Caruso). With that in mind, some people commit suicide from depression which was caused by genetics (Caruso). However, most suicides that occur are rarely from one cause. (Caruso). Multiple undesirable life experiences trigger these cases (Caruso). “This may include; deaths of a loved one, a divorce, separation, break-up, lost custody of children, an illnesses, etc.” (Caruso). Again, the leading cause of depression is untreated depression which is caused by one or more of these life experiences (Caruso). “Suicide only strikes people of a certain gender, race, financial status, age, etc.” (Caruso)? Suicide can strike anyone (Caruso). Statistics taken show that male’s had a 20.5 percent suicide rate while women had a 5.2 percent suicide rate (Flanders 23). This shows both genders commit suicide. Women, despite their low suici...

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...vors (Flanders 38).

Helping prevent deaths and studying the cause of suicide are a big part of society today. In the study of suicide, statistics are heavily relied on by researchers. (Flanders 20) So who commits suicide? “Every type of person. Suicide cuts across all age, racial, occupational, religious, and social groups.” (Flanders 20)

Works Cited

Brent, David A., Emily Jane Willingham, and Rebecca J. Frey. “Suicide.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukain. 4th ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 4203-4210. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 31 Oct. 2011.

Caruso, Kevin. "Suicide Causes." Suicide.org. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. .

Caruso, Kevin. "Suicide Myths." Suicide.org. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. .

Flanders, Stephen A. Suicide. New York: Facts on File, 1991. Print.