Resources  email page print page Basic Information The Nature of Suicide The Nature of SuicideDefining SuicideSuicide: A Reactive ActionSuicide StatisticsOther Factors Contributing To Suicide RiskSuicide TriggersSuicide Triggers ContinuedTying it All Together: Why Does Someone Become Suicidal?Becoming Suicidal: Biological ContributionsBecoming Suicidal: Sociocultural ContributionsSuicide Prevention and Societal MeasuresWebsites Coping with Suicidality Coping with SuicidalityHow did you get to this suicidal place?Why does suicide seem like a solution to your problem(s)?How do you know your level of suicide risk?Suicide Warning SignsSuicide: What do you do now?Suicide: What will happen to you when you ask for help?Outpatient Suicide Treatment-Finding A PsychotherapistThe Initial Suicide Treatment InterviewJeremy's StoryFollow-up Suicide Therapy VisitsSuicide: Other things you can do to help keep yourself safeSuicide and Self Harm Resources Helping A Friend or Family Member who is Suicidal Helping A Friend or Family Member who is SuicidalUnderstanding Suicidal CrisesWhy Do People Become Suicidal and What Can I do to Help?How can I judge the level of suicide risk?What are other suicide warning signs?What happens when a suicidal person asks for help?How do we find a therapist for suicide outpatient treatment?What else can I do to help a suicidal family member or friend?How do I handle my own reactions following a suicide or a suicide attempt? More Information In Harms Way: Suicide in AmericaPost Combat Suicide Rate RisingSuicide IntroductionSuicide Warning SignsSuicide WebsitesWise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Thomas Joiner, Ph.D. on Why People Commit Suicide Latest News New National Suicide Statistics at a Glance Early Psychiatric Issues May Predict Suicide in BoysPost-Traumatic Stress Tied to Increased Suicide Risk in Young Adults Questions and Answers In A Bad SituationWhen Psychotherapy Does Not HelpDepression TreatmentTherapist rights to contact EmployerDoes a therapist have to report me as suicidal if I tell her I self injure? OCD Will I Ever? Self-Injury / Self-Harm: How do I stop cutting myself?Psych major wants to get her life back after being raped and attempting suicideA Friend in Need Blog Entries Post Combat Suicide Rate RisingAn Interview with Barent Walsh, Ph.D. on the Nature and Treatment of Self-InjuryAn Interview with Thomas Joiner, Ph.D. on Why People Commit SuicideSuicide, Self Injury and Hospitalization: Can your therapist have you hospitalized?Suicide: Does a Person Have the Right to Take His Own Life?Suspended From College For Expressing Suicidal Ideation (a reaction to an NPR radio story)Suicide Among White Middle Class Increases"Guns and Suicide" article and Comments: What about the anger?Army suicide rate is climbing rapidlyWorld Suicide Prevention Day... September 10, 2008A Suicide Barrier for the Golden Gate BridgeBullying and Suicidal Ideation Linked Among ChildrenThe Tragic Suicide of 1st Sgt. Jeff McKinneyFDA now requires suicide assessment of new drugs prior to approvalMore Ho Ho Ho Than Sorrow?Suicide on the Rise Among Middle-Aged AmericansRevised Suicide contentAging, Depression and SuicideWomen Who Receive Breast Implants More Likely to Commit SuicideWhat to Do In a Mental Health EmergencyGuns and SuicideTeenagers and Suicide: What to Look forEating Disorders, Self Mutilation and Unexpressed Emotions: A Deadly Relationship Videos Teen Suicide: Too Young To DiePreparing for CrisisWhy Suicide Rates Are Higher than Homocide Rates Links [4] Associations[3] Community[2] Government[37] Information[1] CEUs[2] Training[3] Research[3] Self-Help[3] Videos[1] Personal Experiences Book Reviews AliveAutopsy of a Suicidal MindBloodlettingBoy InterruptedComprehending SuicideCrossesDuplicityEight Stories UpFatal AttachmentsHeavier than HeavenHer HusbandHistory of SuicideHow I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill MeLeaving YouLife InterruptedLike the Red PandaMaking Sense of SuicideNight Falls FastNo Right TurnOne in ThirteenSilent GriefSuicideSylviaSylvia PlathSylvia Plath ReadsThe Clinical Science of Suicide PreventionThirteen Reasons WhyUnholy Ghost

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Think that suicide is only an adolescent problem? Think again.

New statistics on the number of people committing suicide were recently released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These data suggest that, contrary to popular belief, the suicide rate among people who are middle-aged (age 45-54) is increasing faster than any other age group. The number of middle-aged Americans who committed suicide rose by an astonishing rate of 20% between 1999 and 2004. In contrast, the national suicide rate increased by about 4%.

The CDC does not collect detailed information that would allow them to explain why this increase has occurred. However, the editor of the report suggests that an increase in drug use and abuse may be to blame. We know that drug use and abuse can cause people to take risks and engage in impulsive behavior (such as committing suicide when they feel hopeless or helpless). Drug use can also increase feelings of depression and anxiety, which increase a person's risk for committing suicide. In addition, drug use and abuse can create financial stressors, negatively impact interpersonal relationships and social support systems, and impair work performance, all of which can also raise the risk of suicidal behavior.

I hope this data serves as a wakeup call. To me, this is an absolutely shocking statistic and yet another reason to push for adequate research and funding for suicide prevention (for all ages), and adequate mental health insurance coverage for all Americans.

You can read more information in our article on suicide and self-harm by clicking here: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=9&cn=9

More information about the CDC's report on suicide statistics can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5649a1.htm

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