Suicide
Suicide is the act of taking one's own life on purpose. Suicidal behavior can range from thoughts of killing oneself to actually going through with the act.
What is going on in the body?
An individual who thinks or talks about suicide is considering ending his or her life. In some cases, thoughts of suicide are never acted upon. In other cases, suicidal thoughts lead to an attempt at ending one's life.
People who are more prone to commit suicide are:
white men
15 to 24 years old or over 65 years old
living alone or have no children under age 18 living in the house
suffering from major life stress such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or a divorce
Eighty percent of completed suicides are men. However, most people who try to commit suicide but don't actually die are women between the ages of 25 and 44 years old. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among children 10 to 19 years old.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
Risks for suicide vary greatly. A mental disorder such as severe depression or alcoholism is a common risk factor.
Other risk factors include:
previous suicide attempts or a family history of suicide attempts
history of psychiatric disorders. This can include including major depression, alcohol or drug abuse, schizophrenia, panic disorders, and borderline personality disorder.
antisocial, aggressive or impulsive behavior in teenagers
serious medical illness, such as cancer, accompanied by psychiatric illness
A combination of biological, emotional, intellectual and social factors play a part in suicide risk. Factors that may contribute to teenage suicidal risk include:
sadness
stress
poor school performance
peer pressure
grief
learning disabilities
illness or physical disabilities
desire to be perfect
lack of friends
questions about sexual identity
feelings of being disliked
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