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Moriah Pfeiffer
Mrs. Lisa Luton
English 101
9 December 2016

Process Note
This paper in the beginning for me was hard to come up with a question to research. I was trying
to find a question that I had passion about, something that meant a great deal to me. I was
racking my brain for ideas. Then I started to stare off into space and an idea came to me, suicide.
A few years ago my Grandfather committed suicide and I was left with a question lingering in
my head, Why? So there is the question I wanted to research. Why do people commit suicide?
Research is full of statistics and facts, putting all of that into a paragraph without taking the
original author's wording was tough. Do you think I used too many citations in this paper?

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Escape
The so-called psychotically depressed person who tries to kill herself doesnt do so out of
hopelessness or any abstract conviction that lifes assets and debits do not square. And surely not
because death seems suddenly appealing. The person in whom its invisible agony reaches a
certain unendurable level will kill herself the same way a trapped person will eventually jump
from the window of a burning- high rise. Make no mistake about people who leap from burning
windows. Their terror of falling from a great height is still just as great as it would be for you or
me standing speculatively at the same window just checking out the view; i.e the fear of falling
remains a constant. The variable here is the other terror, the fires flames: when the flames get
close enough, falling to death becomes the slightly less terrible of the two terrors. Its not
desiring the fall; its terror of the flames. And yet nobody down the sidewalk, looking up and
yelling Dont! and Hang on! can understand the jump. Not really. Youd have to have
personally been trapped and felt flames to really understand a terror way beyond falling. David Foster Wallace
The trees kept getting more and more blurred as the tears dripped from my face. The car
was unusually quiet except for the occasional crinkle of a Chick-fil-A bag. While through the
drive through line my Aunt Ellie called my Dad, screaming and crying all at the same time that
my Grandfather tried to commit suicide, he was being rushed to the hospital via ambulance. She
then hung up the phone, my Dad just stared out the window yelling, WHY, How can he be so
stupid? Hes not a twelve year old anymore we shouldn't have to watch every move he takes!
Now that my grandfather is gone I wonder, Why? Each year thousands of Americans take their
own life away. They are fighting themselves each and everyday.

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How many people kill themselves each year?
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of deaths in the United States each year. Each year
42,773 Americans die by suicide (afsp.org). Every 12.3 minutes a person commits suicide in the
United States. Approximately 117 Americans take their lived away from the world. Suicide can
occur in any age group, racial ethnicity and gender. However, a white male is 3.5 times more
likely to commit suicide than women (theovernight.org). The rate of suicide is most prominent in
the middle age class. For each suicide in the Unites States there are twelve people who tried to
harm themselves. 494,169 people each year visit a hospital due to injuries sustained by self harm
(theovernight.org). This number shows just how many people are struggling with the demons
inside themselves.
Below is a graph from afsp.org that shows the rate os suicide in the U.S.

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What are the most common methods of suicide?

There are thousands of ways one can kill themselves. Some ways are a slower death than others.
Here in the U.S. the most common method of suicide is firearm followed by suffocation, this
includes hanging, following these two major methods there is poisoning/drug overdoses, cutting,
and jumping. Firearms accounted for more than 49.9% of deaths while suffocation accounted for
26.7% (asfp.org). Ninety percent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric
disorder at the time of their death (theovernight.com).
Below is a chart from asfp.org that shows the methods of suicide here in the U.S.

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What are the six main reasons why people kill themselves or try to kill themselves?
Research has shown that there are six main reasons why people kill themselves. Theyre
depressed, theyre psychotic, theyre crying out for help, they have a philosophical desire to die,
theyve made a mistake (psychologytoday.com). Depression is without a doubt is the most
common reason people commit suicide. Severe depression is always followed by a sense of
suffering as well as the belief that escape from it is hopeless. The pain of existence often
becomes too much for severely depressed people to bear (kevinmd.com).The state of depression
warps their thinking, allowing absurd ideas like No one will notice Im gone, nobody would
care anyways make rational sense. They shouldn't be blamed for falling prey to such distorted
thoughts any more than a heart patient should be blamed for experiencing chest pain: it's simply
the nature of their disease. Because depression, as we all know, is almost always treatable, we
should all seek to recognize its presence in our close friends and loved ones (kevinmd.com)
Often people suffer with it silently, planning suicide without anyone ever knowing. Psychosis is

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much harder to mask than depression, and is arguably even more tragic. The worldwide
incidence of schizophrenia is 1% and often strikes otherwise healthy, high-performing
individuals, whose lives, though manageable with medication, never fulfill their original promise
(psychologytoday.com) Schizophrenics are just as likely to talk freely about the voices
commanding them to kill themselves as not, and also, in my experience, give honest answers
about thoughts of suicide when asked directly.(kevinmd.com) Psychosis, too, is treatable, and
usually must be treated for a schizophrenic to be able to function at all. Untreated or poorly
treated psychosis almost always requires hospital admission to a locked ward until the voices
lose their commanding power. Impulsivity is often related to drug overdoses and alcohol. While
incoherent some people impulsively attempt to end their own lives. Once sobered and calmed,
these people usually feel ashamed and embarrassed. The remorse is often genuine, but whether
or not they'll ever attempt suicide again is unpredictable (kevinmd.com). They may try it again
the very next time they become drunk or high, or never again in their lifetime. The people who
are crying out for help don't usually want to die, but do want to alert those around them that
something is seriously wrong. They often don't think that they will die, frequently choosing
methods they don't think can kill them in order to strike out at someone who's hurt them, but they
are sometimes tragically misinformed (psychologytoday.com). The prototypical example of this
is a young teenage girl suffering genuine angst because of a relationship, either with a friend,
boyfriend, or parent, who swallowed a bottle of Tylenol, not realizing that in high enough doses
Tylenol causes irreversible liver damage. I've watched more than one teenager die a horrible
death in an ICU days after such an ingestion when remorse has already cured them of their desire
to die and their true goal of alerting those close to them of their distress has been achieved

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(kevinmd.com). The decision to commit suicide for some is based on a reasoned decision, often
motivated by the presence of a painful terminal illness from which little to no hope of reprieve
exists. These people aren't depressed, psychotic, or crying out for help. They're trying to take
control of their destiny and alleviate their own suffering, which usually can only be done in death
(pshycologytoday.com). They often look at their choice to commit suicide as a way to shorten a
dying that will happen regardless. The people that have made a mistake feel as if that mistake
defines them as a person now. This mistake will follow them the rest of their lives and the only
escape they can think of is suicide. All of these mental illnesses create mind games in your brain.
When people start playing these mind games they only want one thing out of it, escape. When
people who leave this earth by suicide they are often thinking that nobody left behind cares, that
no one loved me anyways. However, they are wrong loved ones who get left behind struggle
everyday.
What happens to the loved ones left behind?
You want to know what happens once you kill yourself? Your mother comes home from work
and finds her baby dead and she screams and runs over to you and tries to get you to wake up but
you wont and she keeps screaming and shaking you and her tears are dripping onto your face
and your dad hears all the screaming and runs into the room and he cant even speak because the
child that he loved and the child that he watched grow up is gone forever and finally your little
sister runs into the room to see what all the fuss is about and she sees you dead. The person she
looked up to and loved. The person she bragged about to her friends, the person she wanted to be
just like when she grew up, the person that made her feel safe. But shes never really going to get
to grow up and smile and laugh and love because shell always be consumed with this feeling of

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missing you. And now theres something missing from your family and they can barely look at
each other anymore because everything reminds them of you but youre gone and hurts more
than anything. And you think that your mom never cared because she was always busy and
yelling at you to finish your homework and clean your room and forgot to say I love you
sometimes but really, she loved you more than anything and she doesnt leave the house
anymore, she cant even get out of bed and shes getting thinner and thinner because its too hard
to eat. Your father had to quit his job and he doesnt sleep anymore, every time he closes his
eyes he sees his baby dead, and the image never goes away no matter how much alcohol he
drinks. And at school your best friend sees that your seat is empty and she gets this sick feeling
in her stomach and thats when she hears the announcement. You killed yourself. And suddenly
shes screaming and crying in the middle of class and no one even bothers comforting because
theyre all busy sitting there staring at your empty seat with tears dripping down their cheeks
and all she wants is for you to hug her and tell her its gonna be okay like you always did, but
this time, youre not there to do it, everything is dark now that youre gone and her grades are
slipping, she barely goes to school anymore and she ended up in hospital after taking too many
pills because she wanted to see you again. the girls who used to make fun of the way you dressed
feel their throats get tight, they dont talk to each other anymore, they dont talk to anyone,
theyre all in therapy trying so hard not to blame themselves but nothing works. and your teacher
who always gave you a hard time stares blankly at the wall, she quits her job a few days later.
And then your boyfriend hears the news and he cant breathe, he still calls you a lot just to hear
your voice and he talks to you on facebook but you never message him back, he cant fall in love
again because every girl he meets reminds him of you, hes never going to get over you, he loved

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you and he cries himself to sleep every night, hating himself and slicing his skin because he
couldnt save you and hes never going to hold you in his arms or hear you laugh again. Now
everyone who knew you, whether they were a big part of your life or someone you passed in the
hallway a few times a week, they carry this aching feeling around inside them because youre
gone, and they miss you, and they dont know why you left but it mustve been their fault and
they shouldve stopped you and they shouldve told you they loved you more and that feeling is
never going to go away. And so you killed yourself but you killed everyone else around you
too.- Jay Asher. Leaving loved ones is the worst thing to do. They are left with a question that
will never be answered, Why? When a person decides to kill themselves all of the people who
are left behind never truly heal. Months following a suicide loved ones are basically just shells of
a human being. If someone confides in you, get them help.
What do I do if I know someone who is thinking about committing suicide?
If you think someone you know is going through suicidal thoughts the best thing you can do is to
help them. The very first step it to ask some questions, you need to be sensitive but to the point at
the same time. A question you could ask is, Are you thinking about hurting yourself? Asking
about suicidal thoughts or feelings won't push someone into doing something self-destructive. In
fact, offering an opportunity to talk about feelings may reduce the risk of acting on suicidal
feelings (mayoclinic.org). The next step is looking for warning signs. You can't always tell when
a loved one or friend is considering suicide. But here are some common signs: Talking about
suicide for example, making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were
dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born", getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a
gun or stockpiling pills, withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone, having

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mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next, being
preoccupied with death, dying or violence, feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation,
increasing use of alcohol or drugs, changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping
patterns, doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly, giving
away belongings or getting affairs in order when there is no other logical explanation for doing
this, Saying goodbye to people as if they won't be seen again developing personality changes or
being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs
listed above (mayoclinic.org). You will not always be able to see these warning signs as some
people can confine their feelings and warning signs so well, that you would not know they were
thinking about it until they were dead.
What are treatment plans for people who are suicidal?
There are several treatments to help suicidal people. Many medications are available to treat
depression, most common are antidepressants. About 22 medications are currently approved by
the FDA (afsp.org). There is no accurate test to match a persons symptoms and complaints with
the right medication, there is no way to know which drug will work best for a particular person.
The person who may be depressed should discuss with their doctor the medication choice and
how to take it. Sometimes there is the need to try a few different medications before finding the
one that gives the best result. If a person does not want to be medicated, specific types of
psychotherapies have been proven effective for treating suicidal thoughts. These are usually
short term lasting from 1216 weeks and they are formalized and interactive. Sessions may take
place one to two times a week with a professional who has been specifically trained and certified
in the treatment they are using (afsp.org).

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The most common types of psychotherapy for depression are cognitive behavior therapy (CBT),
interpersonal therapy (IPT), behavioral activation (BH), and cognitive behavioral analysis system
of psychotherapy (CBASP) (theovernight.org). There is clear evidence from research studies that
combining antidepressants with any one of these psychotherapies is the best treatment for
chronic depression, meaning that the patient has had a depressive illness for two years or more
(afsp.org). Suicidal thoughts can be treatable, think about your life and those around you before
you decide to take your own life away.
Each year 42,773 Americans die by suicide (afsp.org). They kill themselves by firearms,
suffocation, and drug abuse. Why? To escape. Thousands of Americans kill themselves each
year because they are trying to escape their own mind. Ninety percent of people who die by
suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death (theovernight.com).
Mental illness is usually to blame for suicidal thoughts from depression to schizophrenia. When
someone decides to leave this world by suicide their family suffers in an agonizing way, the
person they loved gone from the world and knowing that they could have helped tears them
apart. Helping someone who is suicidal if very important, you must be sensitive but direct at the
same time. You are going to have to push for answers to get them the help they need. Suicidal
thoughts can be treated by medication and by talking to a therapist. Escape, the main reason so
many people commit suicide is to escape from their own minds. If you or someone you know is
suicidal please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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Works Cited
@Kevinmd. 6 Reasons Why People Commit Suicide. KevinMD.com, 3 Jan. 2015,
www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/6-reasons-people-commit-suicide.html.
@PsychToday. The Six Reasons People Attempt Suicide. Psychology Today,
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-six-reasons-people-attempt-suicide.
Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts. Suicide: What to Do When Someone Is Suicidal - Mayo Clinic,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/suicide/in-depth/suicide/art-20044707.
Home. Lifeline, suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.
Suicide Statistics AFSP. AFSP, afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/.

Suicide Facts and Figures - Overnight Walk. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,
www.theovernight.org/?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1034.
Wallace, David Foster. Infinite Jest: a Novel. Boston, Little, Brown and Company, 1996.
Asher, Jay. Th1rteen r3asons Why: a Novel. New York, Razorbill, 2007.