2014

Suicide:
Life in Jeopardy
Analytical Report by Jessica Peabody

Jessica Peabody English 219-025 2/28/2014

Suicide: Life in Jeopardy

Introduction
Greetings Albuquerque City Council; your attention is needed and would be most helpful. Suicide is a big problem here. The definition of suicide: Death caused by selfdirected injurious behavior with any intent to die as a result of the behavior (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). One suicide is devastating enough as is, but 21 out of 100,000 people each year in Albuquerque makes the city the fifth highest rank in suicides. Startling facts are that these rates are rising. These suicide deaths are people from the age of ten years old to twenty-four years of age. The causes of suicide and suicidal behavior are virtually identical everywhere so one would think that race and ethnicity wouldnt matter. However, certain ethnicities commit suicide more than others and men have different methods than women for committing suicide. Then surprisingly there are specific professions that are associated with the highest ranks of suicide. It would be in Albuquerques City Council best interest to give suicide more attention to help prevention.

Methodology
The research in this report started by the definition and of suicide in general as a rating in our city. From there the research leads to (1.) age of those committing suicide and the causes that lead to suicide and preventive measures many can take to help stop suicide, (2.) the different rates of suicide by race, (3.) the different methods used to commit or attempt suicide between genders, (4.) the top five professions with the highest ranks of suicide. The sources of the research first started out with memories and experiences with friends and family. After that came observations and then newspapers and the news, and internet research.

Results (1.) Researchers found that happy areas may have higher rates than sad areas, according to
KLTV 7: "Deep down we are creatures of comparison, even though we may not always realize that," explained [economist Andrew Oswald], so living in a place where there are lots of satisfied people may make depressed people feel even more desolate. Happy areas mean that the residents standard of living is higher and more stable than another. Since 1990 the rate of suicides in Albuquerque has climbed. Albuquerque has an unemployment rate of 7.1% as of March 2011; the loss of jobs in the recession has helped the ratings rise. However, there is no clear pattern for any city of what the exact cause of the suicides are. 21 people out of 100,000 in Albuquerque die each year from suicide and they are the ages from 10 to 24 years of age. Children to adolescents make up 4.8 out of the 100,000 suicide deaths according to reviewed autopsy and field reports for all pediatric cases referred to the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Seventy-six percent of suicides occurred in the victim's home or yard, and 25% left a suicide note. In 26% of cases, alcohol or other drugs were detected in postmortem. Gunshot wound was the most common method overall (58%), followed by hanging (30%) (National Center for Biotechnology Information). New Mexicos rate of age is higher than the national rating of children to adolescent suicide deaths. Suicidal behavior, tendencies, and thought patterns do not happen overnight. Most people display a number of behaviors that lead to suicide. In adolescents, however, its hard to tell because teen years are turbulent from changing into an adult and some behaviors may be normal for teens. Behavior Changes and Warning Signs:

Withdrawal from family and peers Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities Difficulty concentrating on schoolwork Neglect of personal appearance Obvious changes in personality Sadness and hopelessness Changes in eating patterns, such as sudden weight loss or gain Changes in sleep patterns General lethargy or lack of energy Symptoms of clinical depression Talking about suicide; Making statements about feeling hopeless, helpless, or worthless; A deepening depression; Preoccupation with death;
3

Taking unnecessary risks or exhibiting self-destructive behavior; Out-of-character behavior; A loss of interest in the things one cares about; Visiting or calling people one cares about; Making arrangements; setting ones affairs in order; and Giving prized possessions away.

Possible Causes of Suicide:

Divorce Physical or sexual abuse Emotional neglect Exposure to domestic violence Alcoholism in the home Substance abuse Bullying/ Cyber bullying Family history of suicide Family history of child maltreatment Previous suicide attempt(s) History of mental disorders, particularly clinical depression History of alcohol and substance abuse Feelings of hopelessness Impulsive or aggressive tendencies Cultural and religious beliefs (e.g., belief that suicide is noble resolution of a personal dilemma) Local epidemics of suicide Isolation, a feeling of being cut off from other people Barriers to accessing mental health treatment Loss (relational, social, work, or financial) Physical illness Easy access to lethal methods Unwillingness to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental health and substance abuse disorders or to suicidal thoughts

Prevention:

Effective clinical care for mental, physical, and substance abuse disorders Easy access to a variety of clinical interventions and support for help seeking Family and community support (connectedness) Support from ongoing medical and mental health care relationships Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, and nonviolent ways of handling disputes Cultural and religious beliefs that discourage suicide and support instincts for selfpreservation.

(2.) In
Albuquerque and all of New Mexico, Native Americans/Alask an Natives rank the highest race in suicide and are rising. The highest suicide rates were among American Indian/Alaskan Native males with 27.61 suicides per 100,000 and Non-Hispanic White males with 25.96 suicides per 100,000. Of all female race/ethnicity groups, the American Indian/Alaskan Natives and Non-Hispanic Whites had the highest rates with 7.87 and 6.71 suicides per 100,000, respectively. The Asian/Pacific Islanders had the lowest suicide rates among males while the Non-Hispanic Blacks had the lowest suicide rate among females (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

(3.) Men and women use different methods to attempt or commit suicide and respond differently
to their suicidal feelings. From children and adolescents to adults, the methods stay consistent; however, the risk of suicide decreases in females as they get older and the risk stay the same as males get older. Females attempt suicide more often than males, but males are more successful at completing suicide. For attempts and completion the rating sticks everywhere, especially here in Albuquerque. This is the construction of the male gender role that males have greater levels of strength, independence, and risk-taking behavior. Males tend to use high-mortality methods like hanging, firearms, and carbon-monoxide poisoning. Whereas females use less immediate methods like cutting and drug overdose which can be caught before they become fatal. Females tend to use methods less lethal because of gendered ideas of attractiveness. All the methods are shared among both males and females. Hanging is used the most between both sexes but used more by males than females.

(4.) There are

professions that cause higher suicide rates. Different jobs have more stress factors than others that lead people to suicide. Physicians and doctors are number one in Albuquerque and in the US. Physicians/Doctor s have personality traits that patients find desirable but those traits make physicians especially vulnerable to suicide. Most of the time physicians dont want to ask for help, especially psychotherapy. They often feel embarrassed to admit that they are unhealthy in any way and that others and their peers will be unsympathetic. Sometimes a great marriage can reduce stress factors but the demand for physicians to need to postpone normal life activities. Physicians often get a sense of self-doubt, and guilt, because they feel personally responsible for everything that happens to their patients. Physicians often feel that they are only valued if they are good enough. (Albuquerque Physician Care, Business Insider, & New Health Guide) Top 5 Professions with Higher Suicide Rates:

(1.) Physicians/ Doctors (2.) Dentists (3.) Veterinarians (4.) Finance Workers (5.) Chiropractors Data for white males is the primary focus because of the high demographical representation of white males (National Occupational Mortality Surveillance).

Discussion of the Results

No study has been able to explain why suicide rates are rising all around with teens and race in Albuquerque. It could be explanations of the population growing, or not enough workers in preventive care of suicide. Many parents of their children that committed suicide claimed that they had no idea or warning that their child would commit suicide. However, there are always signs of suicidal tendencies. Later the parents and sometimes family have lasting guilt saying what they should have done or should have seen to prevent their childs suicide. With rising suicide rates, clearly more prevention should be present.

Conclusion with Recommendations

While there are plenty of suicide hotlines and counseling groups that all suicidal people may turn to, family, friends, and peers are the first lines of defense. Family, especially parents, should try to reach the suicidal persons very core of where and why they are hurting. Reaching that core reveals whats causing the suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. And revealing the cause is the first step to helping the suicidal individual. Its especially important for parents to make it known to their children and teens and adults that they are there for them and always will be. Most of the times when family gets involved and makes the suicidal individual feel at least notso alone and loved and understood, that alone can prevent suicide. A lot of parents feel guilty for not having done something to prevent their childs suicide death, so parents need to do something for their family and never have that guilt and have no suicide deaths. Parents should be the first ones to act. Albuquerque City Council should implement in its programs to help inform parents what and how they may be able to prevent suicide deaths.

References
Top page picture: Wikipedia Graphs are from the website of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA, January 2, 2014. Taken from: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/rates02.html Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, February 25, 2014. Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_differences_in_suicide Patrick Hudson MD, MA, MS 2009-2013. Albuquerque Physician Care. Taken from: http://abqmd-psychotherapy.com/special-interests/physician-suicide.html Business Insider Inc. 2014. Business Insider. Taken from: http://www.businessinsider.com/mostsuicidal-occupations-2011-10?op=1 New Health Guide, 2013. Taken from: http://www.newhealthguide.org/Highest-Suicide-RateBy-Profession.html
Author Gary Herron/ Rio Rancho Observer Staff Writer, published November 3, 2013. Albuquerque Journal. Taken from: http://www.abqjournal.com/293495/riowest/teen-suicide-rate-increasing.html and http://health.abqjournal.com/TextItem.aspx?id=3620

New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, May 2008. National Center of Biotechnology Information. Taken from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471219 Kelly Bush, 2009. Articles Base. Taken from: http://www.articlesbase.com/mental-healtharticles/startling-suicide-statistics-1070721.html Bernalillo County Community Health Council, 2009. Journal of Forensic Medicine, May 2008, volume53, number 3. Taken from: http://www.bchealthcouncil.org/Resources/Documents/BernProfile%20for%20web%20to%20L Caswell%20FINAL%208%2030%2010.pdf