Suicide entails the act of people causing their own death intentionally. Most studies note that suicide is caused by various personal reasons such as despair. However, some mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders have been associated with most suicide cases. On the other hand, suicide is attributable to various incidences of alcoholism and drug abuse. Furthermore, financial difficulties and various problems associated with interpersonal interactions can cause depression and suicide subsequently (Robinson, 2001).
According to the World Health Organization (2010), the mortality rate for suicide stands at 16 per 100,000 people in the general population. The same studies show that about 1,000,000 annual deaths occur as a result of suicide in the world. That is, for every forty seconds, one person commits suicide. Apart from being one of the leading causes of death in the world, suicide affects families, economies, and other socio-cultural activities. This essay aims at highlighting the suicide warning signs, the myths regarding suicide, and the preventative measures for suicidal tendencies.
Robinson (2001, p. 170) notes that the suicide warning signs diverge relative to different age groups. For example, elderly persons may stop following medical instructions while teenagers may display deviant behavioral characteristics. However, most studies note that the most unique suicide warning signs include suicide threats, having a history of suicide attempts, and revealing statements insinuating the longing to commit suicide. Other suicide warning signs involve unexpected behavior changes including anger outbursts, withdrawal, and moodiness among many young people. Furthermore, the warning signs accompany depressive moments whereby the victims may be seen crying, being hopeless, sleepless, and losing their appetite. Sometimes, victims may be preoccupied with stories and questions regarding death including incidences where persons take unnecessary risks, which may be regarded as the possible causes of instant death. Finally, most suicidal victims may acquire weapons and make their final arrangements in terms of giving away their personal belonging.
On the other hand, Robinson (2001, pp. 171-172) posits that there are many myths regarding suicide. For instance, many people assume that those persons who openly talk about suicide are trying to draw attention, and therefore, they may not commit suicide in the real sense. Furthermore, many people believe that suicide always occurs without prior warning signs, and as a result, there is nothing that can stop persons who have decided to commit suicide. Moreover, it is a myth to note that suicide is restricted to people of specific gender, racial and ethnic groups, economic status, and age. Lastly, persons who attempt to commit suicide but fail may be planning for subsequent attempts, and thus, it is a myth to say that these people will not be willing to commit suicide again.
As a result of the increase in the global mortality rate for suicide cases, the World Health Organization (2010) notes that there are many ways of preventing suicide. Perhaps, the starting point towards preventing suicide should involve devising strategies that restrain suicidal individuals from gaining access to the most common methods of committing suicide such as firearms and toxic materials. Thus, there is the paramount need for different anti-suicide organizations to develop various multifaceted approaches that address suicidal tendencies at different levels of intervention. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that efficient and timely intervention and treatment of depression, alcoholism, and drug abuse contributes to significant levels of decreased mortality rates for global suicide cases. On the other hand, Robinson (2001, p. 173) notes that talking openly about suicide helps young people particularly in schools to value life, and thus, avoid thinking about death at an early age. Overall, most studies note that there is a need to develop suicide prevention programs in schools, which should emphasize the need for students to remember that suicidal tendencies form an integral part of dysfunctional behaviors. Therefore, students should stop identifying with their suicidal friends because it is never the fault of anyone if their friends commit suicide.
Reference list
Robinson, R. (2001). Survivors of suicide. Franklin Lakes, NJ: The Career Press, Inc.
World Health Organization. (2010). Mental health: Suicide prevention (SUPRE). Web.