If you need any more proof that mental health disorders are a public health issue, look no further than rising suicide rates over the last decade and a half. Deaths from suicide have increased 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to an analysis of Americans aged 5 and up conducted by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While the CDC researchers can’t definitively pin down why the rates are increasing (there are multifarious factors that contribute to mental illness and self-harm), the study’s results are a huge wakeup call: Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. “Suicide is not just a mental health issue — it is a public health issue, and it is preventable,” said Kristin Holland, a behavioral scientist in the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention Surveillance.
“There are quite a few programs that have been shown to effectively prevent suicide, and at the CDC we are continuing to evaluate innovative suicide prevention strategies.”
I find the American Indian and Alaskan Native and White demographic increase to be a bit...hmm... odd I guess. This article comes at a very relevant time for me as my soon to be brother in law just committed suicide on April 15th 2016, he was 36.
I have my theories as to why. It was an intentional overdose, there was a letter, and after analyzing it numerous ways, it was written in a very angry, substance fueled, very 'in the moment w/ complete emotional tunnel vision' and in a contradictory and incoherent fashion. However, though he was a heavy drinker, he was also on anti-anxiety medication Klonopin and was started on a 'new' anti-depressant in early Feb (we're waiting to receive his meds back from the Sheriff's Office Detectives, after I can research side effects) which they had to start off at 20mg and move him up to an eventual 200mg. He was also on blood pressure meds Metoprolol. He wasn't in a good place financially, was struggling to find a job, was hanging by a thread with his living arrangements and seemingly decided that this was the answer.
He had just gotten his meds refilled on the 5th. He took what was left in all three bottles, drank 3 beers and 2/3's of a small bottle of vodka and then went to sleep... forever.
The side effects on these anti-depressants usually say 'suicidal thoughts may occur, tell your Doctor if you have these thoughts...etc.' on most if not all that I have seen advertised. But, I know he wouldn't have told his Doctor that even if he was feeling those thoughts.
Here's the thing though. He wasn't the type to kill himself... I know this may be my own coping mechanism. I have known him for over a year and we actually had some really in-depth conversations. One of them being suicide... and during the discussion I remember us both being in agreement that suicide was for weak people who can't handle all that life throws at them, so I find it hard to believe...
I know this is a tough subject, but I am going through a fresh experience and when I happened upon this article I knew it was time to come here and seek out opinions...even better, and if you're willing, any experiences that you have had.
More importantly, through this discussion perhaps we can begin to build some patterns and correlations.
If you happen upon this thread and you feel like harming yourself, please call someone and talk about it.
Need help? United States:
1 (800) 273-8255
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
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Website: visit this link www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org