As odd as it might seem, suicide used to be against the law in the United States. How in the world could you punish a dead person for taking that final, fatal act? Still, some states continue to have laws on the books labeling attempted suicide as a criminal act, although prosecutions have been rare.
Statistics show more than 47,000 people killed themselves in the United States in 2017. Historically, that number has climbed higher every year. Who are these people, and what is driving them to snuff out their lives?
There are no rock-solid answers. Depression and hopelessness seem to be the No. 1 reasons cited. Depression over the loss of a job or a personal relationship, financial stress, and poor health are often mentioned. Every casualty comes with its own unique story, but there are concerning trends everyone should be aware of.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while suicide occurs in all demographic and ethnic groups, the rate of suicide is highest among middle-aged white men. In 2017, 3.5 times more middle-aged white men than women killed themselves and accounted for nearly 70 percent of all suicides.
Those statistics made me wonder if the modern-day habit of criticizing “white man’s privilege” had anything to do with these deaths. Harassment and bias against “old white guys” seem to be much more easily tolerated, even encouraged, these days.
Men with the highest rates of suicide most often worked construction jobs, such as carpenters or electricians. Also listed among the top jobs of those who killed themselves: mechanics, cable installers, commercial divers, illustrators, tattooists, and pro sports athletes.
Women who committed suicide most often had jobs in the arts, design, media, or the sports world. Also frequently affected were women working in protective service jobs, such as private investigators, police officers, and TSA agents, as well as those with health care jobs, such as dental assistants, massage therapists, and pharmacy aides.
Parents should take note of the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Seven percent of kids in grades 9–12 reported that they had made at least one attempt at suicide in the previous 12 months. Female students attempted suicide about twice as often as male students, and black students were at a higher risk than whites.
The most common method of committing suicide was by firearm; more than half the time, the dead used a gun to end their life. Suffocation was the next most frequently used method, followed by poisoning. More than 54 percent of those who died by suicide did not have a diagnosed mental health condition. One day, their loved ones simply found they had killed themselves.
The CDC website has a map of the United States that shows the suicide rate in each state. As it stands now, the states with the top five suicide rates are Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Idaho.
It’s a myth that the dark and dreary days of winter or holiday time, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, are prime suicide times. In reality, it is the springtime months of April, May, and early June that routinely register an uptick of despondent people succumbing to the dark side.
And sadly, there appears to be a copycat component—experts call it the “cluster” or “contagion” effect—most often following a high-profile suicide like celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain or fashion icon Kate Spade.
“When there’s a prominent suicide, we can see more suicides,” says Shari Sinwelski of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. “Sometimes people may already be feeling very vulnerable, and they see someone who they can relate to and their vulnerabilities.”
One study conducted after comedian Robin Williams tragically took his life in 2014 showed that in the months following his death, there was an increase in suicides of almost 10 percent. Another copycat effect was seen after the suicide of movie star Marilyn Monroe. During the month of her death in August 1962, there was a 12 percent increase in suicides. A National Institutes of Health report explained the mindset of a susceptible suicidal person this way: “If a Marilyn Monroe with all her fame and fortune cannot endure life, ‘Why should I?’”
Studies have also show that the way the media reports celebrity suicides can also increase the risk of additional deaths. The more sensational and romanticized the suicide coverage the more likely a vulnerable person could be triggered into the same fatal action.
This is just a fraction of the information one should consume if they’re worried a loved one may be contemplating suicide. The best advice is to be proactive: Engage the person in conversation about the way they’re feeling, try to convince them to see a licensed therapist and, above all, don’t think that ignoring the fear will make it diminish.
That’s what many loved ones of suicide victims thought. And then it was too late.
