Suicide: A Violent End

Suicide: A Violent End

Violence has become a top of everyday life in the United States; stories of murder, robbery, and rape are depicted on the news, internet, newspapers and primetime television daily. Less often self violence is depicted or spoken of, one of the most traumatic and impactful acts of violence are suicide. Over 30,000 people per year commit suicide in the United States (suicide.org). Suicide is multifaceted and complex, stress; depression and mental illness are major factors contributing to the act of suicide. Although each cause can blend together or compound upon each other each one leaves adverse effects to be dealt with by the living.

Stress is often characterized by headaches, tension and insomnia, the truth is there are over fifty signs and symptoms of stress (stress.org). The key to managing stress is to recognize the signs, most of which are overlooked as normal behavior. A majority of people are able to acknowledge the stress they are feeling and take action to relieve the tension they feel through personalized relaxations techniques such as meditation or physical activity. But for some individuals their inability to cope with elevated stress levels can be deadly.

Among the stress factors that have been known to contribute to suicidal behavior, socioeconomic issues such as job loss, poverty, homelessness, and illegal financial endeavors are prominent among adults. Bullying, discrimination, and confusion over sexual orientation have increasingly motivated suicide in teenagers. Every major contributing factor related to stress can on some level be resolved, though not all personality types are able to be out spoken or open about what they are experiencing, preventing them from getting help whether it be professional or the emotional support of their social group. This will leave them feeling alone and vulnerable and prone to depression leading to the irreversible act of suicide.

Stress related suicide impacts families and friends in ways that may not have been intended. Suicide resulting from over whelming financial issues in turn places the financial burden on family members, in the case of loss of job or homelessness the family may feel abandoned and as is true in all suicide, individuals who know someone that commit suicide are more likely to consider suicide for themselves.

Depression is a common but serious illness, signified by persistent sadness, hopelessness, and extreme anxiety. Depression affects every individual differently and is often gone untreated (nimh.nih.gov). There are many options available to treat depression ranging from psychiatry to medication, and when treated has a great chance to be controlled and regulated allowing individuals to lead a normal productive life. There are many contributing factors that lead to the onset of depression, most often a deep feeling of loss (real or imaginary), relationship issues