The rates of suicide cases are on the rise globally. Research has it that a person commits suicide every 40 seconds across the world. It is a tragic event that has negative impacts on families, friends, and communities in which such individuals lived. The effects of suicide are devastating as it leaves behind a huge loss that people have to live with for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, suicide is not yet considered among the major public health problems by the World Health Organization. The stigma that people have to deal with after their loved one commits suicide is devastating. Most of the healthcare system is not well equipped to provide the required help and support to those people affected by the stigma left behind after a loved one commits suicide. The crisis is not only a public health problem experienced in developing countries but there is as well a rise in suicide cases in developed countries.
America is among the countries that have the highest rates of suicide across the world. Among the wealthy countries, The US has recorded the highest rates of suicide cases. Statistics from 2018 indicate that there were approximately 48,000 recorded suicide rates in the country. This was a rise from 2014 where the recorded number was 42,000. This indicates an increase in suicide cases in the country by approximately 20%. The highest rate of suicide is experienced in adults who between 25-35 and most cases usually go unreported due to the stigma surround suicide. Suicide rates are on the rise in all states of America (McIntosh, 2000) . Suicide has been reported as the second leading cause of death in young adults aged between 15 years to 35 years and the third cause of death in children aged between 10 to 14 years. There are increasingly high rates of suicide among individuals aged between 35-64 years by roughly 30%. Elder women who are aged between 60 and 65 also recorded an increase in suicide rates by 60 in the United States. The causes of the rise in suicide rates within the country are unknown even though 1.7 % of all deaths recorded in 2018 were attributed to suicide.
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Everybody is at risk of committing suicide. There are however some risks of suicide across the lifespan. Individuals in all age spans who had previously attempted to commit suicide are at higher risk of committing suicide. People who are under stress and depression develop suicidal thoughts and are most likely to end their lives. Individuals who abuse drugs and alcohol and those who come from families that have a history of mental health disorders or drug abuse are more likely to commit suicide (Roy, 1982) . The high rates of suicide are experienced in young people who come from a violent family where they get physically and sexually abuse. There is a high risk also among people who have guns and firearms at home and those that are behind bars. The high rates are experienced among individuals aged between 15-35 and old people above 60 years. Elderly most of the time feels lonely because they are left alone to cater for themselves and this puts them in stressful situations that lead them into depression. Living by themselves and having no one to talk to interferes with the mental well-being of the elderly. Individuals who are getting exposed to other people’s suicidal behavior are more likely to end their lives compared to those without exposure. Some medical conditions such as depression as well are a contributing factor to the high rates of suicide in the country.
Certain groups of people are at a higher risk of committing suicide than others in America. Men have a higher probability to commit suicide while women attempt suicide more than men (Callanan & Davis, 2012 . The middle-aged individuals and old age also are at a high risk of committing suicide. African-American children below 12 years of age are at a higher risk of committing suicide than white children of the same age. Older white adolescents are at a higher risk of committing suicide. However, there has been a rise in the rates of suicide among children between the age of 10-14 and it is the leading cause of death in children within this age bracket.
There are a variety of protective factors that can be used to help in the prevention of suicide. The protective factors include personal and environmental. Individuals that are at risk of committing suicide should be helped to access effective healthcare whereby they can be provided with counseling and therapy. Family members and friends should be more connected to people who are at risk and they should be encouraged to attend social events to mingle with other people. Life skills should be taught in school to protect people from suicidal thoughts. Such skills include coping skills, problem-solving skills, and ways in which people can easily adapt to change. Such people should be helped to revive their self-esteem and helped to live a purposeful life that has a meaning. Close family members and friends should encourage people who are likely to commit suicide to engage in social and religious practices that discourage suicidal thoughts. Mental healthcare should be readily available to help people in suicide conditions. They should be provided with the contacts to caregivers from healthcare facilities to make it possible for them to access the required aid (World Health Organization, 2014).
Community members can take part in advocating for suicide prevention measures by coming up with a community action plan that addresses the issue of suicide. Members of the community can provide mental and psychological support to high-risk groups as a way to protect them from developing suicidal thoughts. Members of the community should help the close associates of suicide victims with coping mechanisms in fighting the stigma left behind to the bereaved members. Community leaders can help individuals within the community to have a sense of belonging and feel that they are connected to other people instead of leaving such people to lead a lonely life. Suicide prevention strategies that are relevant to the communities should be put in place (WHO, 2016) .
Members of the community should work as a team to engage in suicide prevention measures by identifying the possible causes of suicide and protecting individuals from attempting the act. Community members should have a good understanding of the environment within the areas in which they live to identify possible factors that could lead people to develop suicidal thoughts. This is an important aspect because the surrounding environment is a major factor that can lead an individual to develop suicidal thoughts. Creating awareness and sensitizing community members about suicide is an important aspect as it helps people to get more information about suicide and the prevention measures to be taken against the same.
In conclusion, the high rates of suicide that have become a healthcare concern result from many underlying factors that at times go unidentified. People who have a family history of suicide and the elderly in society have been reported to be at high risk of committing suicide. The community members can come up with some measures such as educating individuals about suicide and the preventive measures to help in curbing the global problem.
References
Callanan, V. J., & Davis, M. S. (2012). Gender differences in suicide methods. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology , 47 (6), 857-869.
McIntosh, J. L. (2000). Epidemiology of adolescent suicide in the United States.
Roy, A. (1982). Risk factors for suicide in psychiatric patients. Archives of general Psychiatry , 39 (9), 1089-1095.
World Health Organization. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative . World Health Organization
World Health Organization (2016). Preventing suicide: a community engagement toolkit. Pilot version 1.0. Geneva: WHO. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/252071
