Before You Act: Consider These Facts By Regina Loudon reginainfoivest. com You've decided to do it. Life is impos-,iblSuicide is your way out. Before you e. For people 15 to 24 years old, suicide is the third leading cause of death, behind unintentional injury and homicide. In 1992 more teenagers and young adults sleep difficulties. Among men, tire next most frequently reported symptoms were difficulties completing work, fatigue, irritability, hopelessness died from suicide than died from cancer, heart birth AIDS, disease, ou act: defects, stroke, pneumoto the American nia and influenza, and According Foundation of Suicide Prevention, suicide chronic lung disease combined. is the second leading cause of death It students. from stems among college Among persons aged 9 depression. When students are depressed years, firearm-relate- d to suicides start think of accounted for to end their :hey ways 81 percent of the increase aves. Of the many millions of Americans in the overall rate of suiwho suffer from depression in any given cide from 1980-199year, 80 percent can be effectively treated, People living in a housebut only 30 percent seek help and of that hold where a firearm is PHOTO ILLUSTRATION SUN NEWS SERVICES number, slightly more than half are accukept are almost five times more likely to die by suicide than people and disappointment with self. rately diagnosed and receive appropriate treatment. The number one cause of suihomes. who live in gun-fre- e According to Suicide Awareness cide is untreated depression, according to The risk for suicide among young Voices of Education (SAWE), if you susVational Center for Injury Prevention and people is greatest among young white pect someone you know is suicidal than Control. males; however, from 1980 through 1992, ask him or her. That may sound absurd Suicide took the lives of 30,484 suicide rates increased most rapidly and very scary, but you must ask him if he Americans in 1992. More people die from among young black males. suicide than from homicide in the United Cheryl Carmin, Ph.D., of the States. University of Illinois at Chicago, and John On an average day, 84 people die from Klocek, Ph.D., of the University of Montana recently had 357 consecutive suicide and an estimated 1,900 adults family pracattempt suicide. Males are over four times patients at a university-base- d tice clinic complete the Beck Depression more likely to die from suicide than are Inventory, a Dont Quit However, females questionnaire that has are more likely to validated attempt suicide When things go wrong, as they sometimes will. been When the road youre trudging seems all up hill, extensively. than are males. In 1992, white When the funds are low, and the debts are high, Overall, 15.7 perAnd you want to smile, but you have to sigh. cent of the sample males accounted When care is pressing you down a bit, for 73 percent of reported signifiRest if you must, but dont you quit. all cant symptoms of suicides. Life is queer with its twists and turns, white Together, As everyone of us sometimes learns. males and white Among these, five And many a failure turns about, lemales account symptoms were When he might have won had he stuck it out; for almost 91 perreported by at Dont give up though the pace seems slow, least 90 percent: cent of all suicides. You may succeed with another blow. Less enjoyment Success is failure turned inside out. from usual activiunder People The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, ties, disappoint25 age years And you never can tell how close you are, ment with self, accounted for 16.4 It may be near when it seems so far; hopelessness, irripercent of all suistick So to the fight when youre hardest hit. cides in 1992. tability, and diffiIts when things seem worse, From 1952-199culty sleeping. that you must not quit The researchers the incidence of Anonymous also found dissuicide among tinct gender difadolescents and ferences. Women reported young adults nearly tripled. From with the greatest frequency, the rate of suicide among persons aged 9 years increased by 28.3 percent while men most often reported dissatis4 and among persons aged years by faction and difficulty sleeping. 120 Other symptoms on the women's top males For African American percent. five list, in descending order, were irrithe rate increased 165.3 aged tability, hopelessness, dissatisfaction, and yourself, there are some things you should know. Consider these facts before NiU 15-1- 2. females. m depression. 2, -- 1980-199- 15-1- 10-1- 15-1- 9, 2, ever feels so bad that he thinks of suicide. Dont worry about planting the idea in someone's head. Suicidal thoughts are common with depressive illnesses, although not all people have them. If a person has been thinking of suicide, he or she will be relieved and grateful that you were willing to be so It shows a peropen and son you truly care and take himher seriously. If you feel the person isn't in immediate danger, you can say things like, "I can tell you're really hurting", and "I care about you and will do my best to help you." And follow through - help him find a doctor or a mental health professional. Be by his side when he makes that first phone call, or go along with him to his first appointment. A supportive person C n 3 rot mreinMpiresloquijtiiw Ilk Dia Jowl mean so much to someone who's in pain. (L-- iL Years Eve Dance! New sum Nr Tun mm Ci lht th anruM Oancopftty m Solar rtSjt loM For IOS Youig Prtxao ft Mot1 HUGE Crowd Food IUrok Asm Tfwi 13H1 It Spomorod toy !(?