Thinking about suicide…

In America, suicide is the third highest cause of death among adolescents and young adults. The stresses on adolescents and adults in their 20’s and 30’s are often tremendous. Our social structures are not designed well to ensure emotional health. Rather, our schools, work places and many social environments are remarkably intolerant of behaviors considered to be outside of a narrow range of what is deemed acceptable. This predicament leaves many feeling desperate, isolated, and besieged with feelings of futility, anxiety and depression.

Rates of suicide rates vary between boys and girls. Overall, girls consider and ultimately attempt suicide about twice as often as boys, frequently by overdosing on drugs or cutting themselves. Still, it is the boys that die by suicide roughly four times as often as girls. Boys are more likely to use more lethal methods, including firearms, hanging, or jumping from heights.

Estimates suggest that at least 25 suicide attempts are made for each completed. As a psychotherapist I am aware of few actions that present as clearly to be a desperate call for help. Sadly, most of us are not taught how to ask for help, nor how to offer support, empathy and assistance in ways that can be most helpful. This situation leaves those we care about and love in a seemingly hopeless place.

We all need to have hope for ourselves and our future, self-respect, and supportive relationships in life. All through life we crave safe and supportive places where we can be true to ourselves, live our true nature and ultimately dream. Having aspirations is one of the key components to a fulfilling and satisfying life. In difficult times these are hard to find and keep within ones grasp.

The therapeutic environment is an ideal place to explore all of this in a safe and supportive manner. Working with the therapist, a space is created that is unique and healing. The fact that the therapist is not part of the friend, family, school/work, or social matrix is of utmost importance. The therapist comes without assumptions, judgments or an agenda. Individuals seeking a possible path forward, frequently face anxiety, futility and depression, all of which can be major obstacles. It’s not easy to muster the will, and courage to act, it’s not easy to put faith in a stranger with a different way of doing things. Often it does take great acts of will and courage, and a leap of faith that things can be better.