The past 15 years have revealed a startling and very sad statistic. We are killing ourselves, literally. Suicide, the permanent solution to life's temporary problems, has increased across the nation by 24% from 1999 to 2014.

Those figures were part of a report that was published by the National Center for Health Statistics. As alarming as they are perhaps the more alarming issue that has been brought to light is this. Mental health officials across the country have no specific explanation why there has been such a dramatic rise in suicide. .

Mental health is definitely a big part of it but there could be other factors, a lot of social factors and environmental factors that could be playing a roll.

This past week two high school students in the Mandeville area took their own lives within days of each other. I can only imagine the heartbreak and questions that many in that community must be feeling. Dr. Michelle Moore an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at LSU Health New Orleans told the Louisiana Radio Network that communication is the key.

She suggested that quite often parents, friends, and family often have an opportunity to intervene in a troubled souls life before they make the ultimate act of selfishness.

That seems to be one of the biggest links that there is something that is wrong with children and there is something going on in their life and often those children are making posts, weeks, months and even days prior to events like this.

Quite often we look at Facebook posts and think smugly to ourselves they are just looking for attention. Well wise up my friends, they are. They need your intervention. When it comes to teenagers especially we can't discount a pattern of comments without taking action. That action could save a life.

Here's another very concerning statistic concerning the increase in suicide across the country.

The report shows that females, especially in the younger age group, are at greater risk of suicide than males. Which I think probably surprises a lot of people.

The suicide rate among females jumped 45% over the past 15 years. The rate for males only increased by 16%. Suicide is a real issue. Every threat should be taken as a genuine cry for help. Please don't ignore what you see.

 

 

 

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