Illness, Aging and Genes
Two other suicide hot spots include sickness and old age, which are often, but certainly not always, synonymous. And there also may be a genetic link, experts say.
Men ages 20 to 59 who have been diagnosed with AIDS, for instance, are about 36 times more likely to commit suicide than men of the same age who do not have the disease. Barring diseases such as AIDS, however, the older you get, the greater your chances for getting seriously ill, and the greater your risk for suicide. Medical illness is a direct contributor to suicide in up to 70 percent of all suicide victims older than 60. White men over 50 are especially vulnerable. Though they make up only 10 percent of the population, this volatile group is responsible for a third of all suicides.
Yet doctors have found that, like other suicidal people, those who wish to die while they are ill most often are suffering not from a pain-induced, well-pondered death wish but from clinical depression or alcoholism. When their depression is treated, they usually don’t want to die any longer, according to the AFSP.
Like your height and eye color, suicidal tendencies are unfortunately passed on along family lines. If someone in your family has killed himself, your risk of doing the same increases fourfold.
There are a couple of reasons for this, say AFSP researchers. First, there may be an actual biological-suicidal characteristic that is inherited, such as the inability to process serotonin correctly. Second, families don’t just share genes; they share environments, says Dr. McIntosh. “We live with the same stressful situations. And if you see your parents acting out in a certain way, you’re likely to pick up that behavior, no matter how destructive.”
Though a few suicides occur out of the blue, 75 percent of people who attempt suicide give some warning to their friends and family, Nock says. You should become familiar with the primary danger signs that signal someone is contemplating suicide, says Nock. They are:
• Previous suicide attempts. Trying to kill yourself once is one of the best predictors of whether you’ll actually take your life one day. Between 20 percent and 50 percent of people, who kill themselves, have tried before.
• Talking about death. People who commit suicide often talk about death. Sometimes they say goodbye or act as though they’re going away.
• Making final arrangements. Suicidal people often go about putting their affairs in order as though they have a terminal illness. They may give away possessions or pay off large debts or mortgages.
• Showing signs of depression. Be especially concerned if people withdraw from activities they used to enjoy or have changes in sleeping patterns, appetite, weight, energy, or sex drive. These, along with feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of death, are signs of depression.
If you recognize these in yourself or another, check your local listings for a suicide prevention hotline.
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