Rising Suicide Rates: A Call to Action

www.yalescientific.org/fulllengths/84-1

According to a recent article published by Fox News, the social stigmas associated with mental illness continue to impede on suicide prevention (Dhar, 2013). While suicide rates for children, and elderly have leveled off in recent years,  over the past decade suicide trends have increased nearly thirty percent for middle-aged adults. It is thought the ongoing economic downturn and access to pain medication have contributed to the rising rates among the baby boomer population. In addition, there are often underlying psychological conditions including depression, and anxiety, which lead to suicidal behavior. There are damaging misconceptions that those suffering from severe depression do not want to be helped, while evidence supports the contrary. The article identifies ways to recognize the common symptoms and behaviors associated with suicide for early intervention. Individual support is important to help friends and families suffering from mental health. Nonetheless, global initiatives are needed to address suicide worldwide. While there have been many targeted interventions for suicide directed at young adults and teens, it is evident the adult population is also in need of attention(Dhar,2013).

  The World Health Organization(WHO) validates that suicide has not been properly addressed in today's society because of the lack of awareness and social stigmas (WHO, 2013). The current data regarding the problem is skewed because incidences of suicide are often under reported and under prioritized in most countries. Even still, within the Unites States, suicide is reported to be among the top 20 leading causes of death for individuals 10 and older(WHO,2013). To target prevention at the individual, family, community, and global level, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests a public health approach to combat suicide. Government programs are shown to be effective in promoting awareness, providing evidence-based prevention strategies, and advocating for social change (CDC, 2013). The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is one organization that provides guidance for schools, health care systems, workplaces, clinicians, and other sectors in society. The public health mission for this program is to cultivate a positive dialogue for discussing mental health, enhance surveillance data to increase awareness, and to better integrate suicide prevention in the health care system(CDC, 2013).

Nurses and other health care providers  play a key role in identifying the warning signs and establishing interventions for suicidal behavior.  Through a health history one can determine if the individual has a history of suicidal attempts, psychological disorders, agitation, hopelessness, chronic pain, substance abuse, or other determinants of suicidal behavior. In addition, as a nurse, it is important to recognize the protective factors for suicide by educating the client on problem-solving behaviors, providing clinical support for underlying mental health concerns, and increasing the client's awareness of community resources( "Suicide Prevention",2012).