Suicide In America

Attempting suicide is an epidemic in the United States; especially when 41% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide compared 1.6% of the general population (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). Due to this, the question of whether or not transgender youth have a harder, more straining adolescence than their cisgender counterparts rises. Although adolescence can be hard on everyone, experiences such as a school environment, puberty, laws that guarantee protection, family and social acceptance of transgender youth are harder than those of their cisgender counterparts (harder does not necessarily mean correlate with strenuous, the use of harder is aiming more towards different, costly, and possibly more confusing). The revolution for transgender lives is just beginning, change is happening. But in order for change to occur, adequate information on the material needs to be discussed and terminology must be defined and questions must be answered. Questions such as: what do the terms transgender and cisgender actually mean? Why is it important to know the difference between the two terms? What is the difference between transsexual and transgender?

"More people in the general population die from suicide than homicide in North America. There are almost 11 suicide deaths each year for every 100,000 people living in the United States, and for every suicide, there are between 8 and 25 attempts" (Brent 4203). Based on this research, the great effect of suicide is displayed. According to dictionary.com, suicide can be defined as "the intentional taking of one's own life." Suicide is a major issue for all people, but it most obviously affects those ranging from ten to twenty-four. People need to understand the tremendous ramifications caused from suicide everyday; when people take their lives, others lose their loved ones. Suicide, one of the leading causes of death of numerous people each day, has reached a crisis point for adolescents and young adults, and it needs to be prevented.

According to NAMI, The National Alliance of Mental Illness 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition yearly. 1 in 20 people live with a serious mental illness like, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Not only does the person who is directly experiencing a mental illness suffer, but the family, and friends are also highly affected. NAMI states that 50% of mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% of mental illnesses develop by age 24. Each year, 1 in 5 children from the ages 13-18 experiences a mental illness reported by NAMI. That’s a large amount of our young generation. Three out of four people with a mental illness report that they have experienced stigma, a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart according to the

In 2014, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2015), there were twice as many suicides than there were homicides. Suicidal ideation (SI), defined as an individual thinking about, considering, or planning their suicide, is established before the act of committing suicide. Research suggests that adverse childhood experiences (CDC, 2015) will put an individual at risk for developing a mental illness that could result in SI and suicide attempt (SA). It is important for the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) to recognize the signs of SI and SA while assessing their client.

The CDC reported only 20% of US adults went to a mental health provider in the past year. The other 80% were too ashamed and embarrassed to be associated with getting help. Society has shaped an image of the perfect person, and people with mental illnesses don’t believe that they fit that mold, because of this, they aren’t willing to seek help and instead turn to dangerous coping methods. Some of these coping methods include, smoking, drinking, drug use, binge eating, cutting, and possible suicide. These methods can cause chronic disease and premature death. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, those living with serious mental illness die an average of 25 years earlier than the general public, primarily due to treatable conditions. Due to the stigma of mental illness, people are treated wrongfully and are discriminated against, causing them to not get proper care. This discrimination causes people to have unequal access to housing, healthcare, employment, education, and community support, and can lead to unemployment, homelessness, and poverty. With all of these unfair and unjust barriers, it’s not hard to figure out why people wait so long to get diagnosed.

Suicide has historically been and continues to be a significant issue in the United States, for civilians as well as active duty military service members and veterans. While statistics surrounding suicide appear to be just numbers on a page, I personally implore the reader of the following paper to never lose sight of the fact that those numbers represent real people. Each one of those people, be they civilian or military, represent a loss of a father or a mother, a brother or a sister, a son or a daughter, a best friend, a comrade, …a person whose life, and that life’s potential, is now forever lost. The following statistics on suicide rates in the United States do not differentiate if the individual was a civilian, an active duty

Many view America as the best country in the world. There are so many different perspectives of life in America. This country is developed from the roots of many different cultures. This country is a place of freedom, opportunity, and hope. America is a place where everyone from different backgrounds unite as one, and help this land of freedom thrive. We are not White, Mexican, Native American, Asian, Black or whatever other race; we are Americans. Sadly, many Americans do not appreciate this country as much as they should. My vision for America is for every citizen in the United States to be more civilized by reducing the crime rate to numbers that won’t affect the country anymore. Racial issues need to stop because that intensifies crime. We

Over 90% of people who commit suicide have a mental illness in America. Don’t you believe if people gave mental disorders/illness more attention, those suicide rates would decrease? Mental illness is a serious issue in America. To understand Mental Illness, you need to know what it means. Based on Merriam Webster dictionary Mental Illness is “ Any illness with significant psychological or behavioral manifestations that is associated with either a painful or distressing symptom or an impairment in one or more important areas of functioning.” If America gave more attention to mental health, suicide rates would decrease, crime rates decrease, and death rates could decrease.

It is estimated that 43.5 million Americans, adults 18 or older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have existed for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us to overcome the impacts stigma has on our society.

Mental illness stigma prohibits people from getting the treatment they need, as a result suicide is highly prevalent among untreated sufferers.An instance in which this can be seen is in the statics of the individuals who commit suicide. According to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, because of stigma around mental illness, “90% of individuals who die by suicide [had an] untreated mental illness”. Since a large majority of the individuals who do commit suicide do have an untreated mental illness, it can be seen that stigma around mental illness is a very common occurrences barring people from getting the help they need. This shows that reducing stigma around mental health would save a large percentage of people from committing suicide and also allow them to feel as if they can seek professional treatment.

“I want to be able to talk to someone in a pub and say ‘I have been mentally ill’ and for them to say ‘That’s interesting, what did you experience?’”, said a survivor from the UK in 1997 (Sayce 18). Almost twenty years later and this man 's wish still has not come true. People may ask why, and the answer is because of the stigma that comes along with having a mental illness. Mental illness is something not often talked about because of the fear of being judged. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in every four Americans has a mental illness, and only about 40% of them seek professional help (Hamid). People are being put into mental institutions instead of getting the help that they need to get better, because even people in the medical field are not understanding about this situation because they do not understand how it feels. The stigma and stereotypes towards mental illnesses are overwhelming, therefore people should be made aware of their impact and take steps to reduce stigma and stereotypes.

What is perfect? Being entirely without defect, flawless. In today’s society all women look the same, trying to achieve the perfect body. But is anyone really perfect? Is anyone flawless?

Suicide has been rising at a dramatic rate over the years. It is difficult to gather enough evidence on suicide victims if the individual rarely had any relationships with family, friends, and peers. This article discusses and explores the developmental history of ten young males between the ages of 18-30 who have committed suicide while transitioning to or were already in adulthood. These group of men have never committed an act of suicide nor have received medical treatment in mental health in their past (Rasmussen, Haavind, Dieserud, & Dyregrov, 2014). A group of researchers have conducted in-depth interviews with close family members and friends in an effort to gather more information on the ten male victims. The feedback they receive proves that not all suicide victims show signs of abnormal mental health and past suicide attempts. It can be triggered by many factors such as stress, vulnerability, fear, and anger.

Many people often have stereotypes or stigmas regarding mental illnesses. There is a general public stigma that is overall expressed by people who may not have full knowledge over the importance of mental health. When referring to the stigma, people will usually say that those with mental illnesses are irresponsible, should be cared for, or should be feared and kept out of the direct community. All of these stigmas having to do with mental illnesses are false. Many people with mental illnesses are able to hold stable jobs, graduate from high school and college, and even live as good neighbors in a community. By creating this stigma, people are adding to the everyday challenges that people with mental illnesses are going through. We should aim to educate and stop the prejudice that is brought about by those who are not fully aware of the importance of mental health.

The suicide levels in America have now reached crisis levels. If suicide were a disease, it would be discussed on social media, the news and around the water cooler. People would be in a panic wondering how to counteract the “disease” and escape the clutches of it within their own personal lives. Doctors would appear on talk shows and the news educating the public on what they can do to prevent “suicide” from affecting their own lives. It would be labeled the epidemic taking out even the strongest among us in our modern generation. However, suicide isn’t a disease per say. It can be a symptom of a disease, such as depression. However, it in and of itself is only the embodiment and end-result of the despair and hopelessness that many people in America live with on a daily basis. Perhaps, if it was treated like a contagious, preventable disease, and not something to be ashamed of, less Americans would be meeting their end via suicide and instead seek the help they need to get better.