Depression - Research Paper Example

Every day across the United s and worldwide, there are those that simply cannot face going on another day, and choose to end their own lives. This action, called suicide, occurred more than 34,000 times in the United States in the year 2007, and was the eleventh leading cause of death for all ages of people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There can be no doubt that this tragic action, taken by those that have seen it as the only way to end, once and for all, any issues that they are having in their lives, touches many people throughout the world every year.

While I have never known anyone personally in my family or within my circle of friends that has committed suicide, I chose to write about this topic because I feel that it deserves awareness. Even though my life has never been touched personally by this action, I hope that it never is, and I feel compassion for those that have had to endure the grief and suffering of losing a loved one to suicide. I also chose to write about this topic because I believe that while there is much accurate and verifiable information available about suicide, there are just as many myths, and that conquering those myths can be the first step in addressing serious prevention for suicides, so that lives do not have to be ended needlessly and loved ones left behind.

Since there are many different reasons behind a person choosing to end their own life, it is difficult to place suicide into just one aspect of psychology. Case studies have shown that in 93% of all cases of suicide, the person suffered from some type of depression or psychological disorder, therefore making the best fit for suicide the aspect of clinical psychology (Weiten 51). This is further complicated, however, by the fact that even though a person may be actively attending therapy for the issue or disorder that ultimately led to their suicide, they may still not discuss or disclose any type of suicidal thoughts or intent (Weiten 52).

In a sampling of 571 cases that attended a scheduled therapy appointment in the four weeks prior to committing suicide, only 22% of those cases revealed any indication that this was their course of action (Weiten 52). Included in this sample were 100 cases that saw a mental health professional on the same day that they ended their lives, but out of these specific cases, only 21 even raised the issue of suicide, without revealing any stated intentions toward it (Weiten 52). Given that those contemplating the action of ending their lives are often reluctant to voice such thoughts, compounded by the multitude of risk factors and other criteria that can lead a person to have thoughts of suicide in the first place, it is often difficult to define exactly where suicide has the best “fit”.

Many myths and realities, as well as misconceptions, lie behind a person choosing to take their own life. The reality is far easier to define than the myths and misconceptions; a person has simply become so depressed and despondent that they can see no other way to end their pain and suffering but to end everything, including their own life (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Often, a person will exhibit conflict about even this final action, as another type of result is desperately wished for but cannot be found (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

This does not mean that a person does not wish to deal with their problems or issues any longer, but that the problems and issues have become so large and overwhelming that a way of dealing with them separately cannot be realized (National Alliance on Mental Illness). The person contemplating suicide feels that there is only one way out, and that is to end their life, thus eliminating all issues, problems, and concerns, as well as hopefully finding the peace that they so desperately seek. Rather than looking at the stark reality of suicide, some choose instead to learn and obey myths and misconceptions.

The most common are that people that talk about suicide will not really “do it”, that the only people thinking about suicide or that actually commit suicide are crazy, and that if someone really wants to commit suicide, there is nothing that can be done to stop them (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Needless to say, this is by far not the case. Talking about suicide is actually considered a warning sign, a cry for help, and should be considered as more than just kicking around a basic idea (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

Also, people that threaten or voice a wish to commit suicide should not be discounted; rather, they should be evaluated by trained psychologists or other mental health professionals immediately for depression and other psychological factors that are leading to the suicidal thoughts (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Though those considering suicide may be reluctant to voice these thoughts to those whom they do not readily trust, as research has shown, it would still be a step away from committing the actual act to talk about feelings that are leading them to this decision.

The deduction that if someone is so determined to end their life that nothing can be done to stop them is likewise not the reality of the situation, as again, often it is a solution that is being sought to overwhelming problems. By helping someone to see that there are other solutions, often the course of suicide can be avoided (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Quite possibly the hardest aspect of suicide to accept is the finality of it. Because of this, there is no treatment for suicide.

Once the action has been taken, nothing more can be done to help the victim. There are, however, treatments for the factors behind suicide, such as depression and/or any mental health disorder that may be causing personal distress and leading a person to consider suicide (Weiten 604). Prevention and attention to warning signs, such as withdrawal from activities, noting excessive feelings of hopelessness, and above all watching for patterns of self-destructive and self-injurious behavior, can help those that feel suicide is the only option to find other options for dealing with their issues before it is too late (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

For example, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009, 13.8% of high school students nationwide reported that they had seriously considered suicide, with 6.3% reporting that they had actually made one nonfatal suicide attempt. As these attempts did not succeed, it can only be inferred that they were not really wishing to end their lives but rather using the attempt as a cry for help. Suicide is a solution that is considered by those that are feeling so overwhelmed by their problems that they can see no other way of ending them.

The decision of whether or not to commit suicide can also be helped considerably if the person suffers from a psychological disorder such as depression, or has poor coping mechanisms in place for anxiety and stressors that, by some, may be seen as part of everyday life. Though many myths and misconceptions surround the subject of suicide, the fact that it holds a place as a leading cause of death both in the United States and throughout the world raises the need for awareness and teaching of the realities and warning signs of suicide, so that lives may be saved, both directly and indirectly, from this tragedy.

Works Cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Suicide: Facts at a Glance.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2010. Web. 3 Jun 2012. National Alliance on Mental Illness. “Suicide: Learn More, Learn to Help.” National Alliance on Mental Illness. National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2011. Web. 4 Jun 2012. Weiten, Wayne. Psychology: Themes and Variations. Belmont,CA: Wadsworth, 2011. Print.