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Causes
• Depression • Recognizing
the Signs • What to Do
Aging
is a complex physical, mental, social and spiritual process.
It affects each individual differently. Some people remain
alert and active well into their 90s. Others seem old in every
way as early as their 60s.
For many people, senior years are a time to enjoy life, to
travel, to do things they weren't able to before retirement.
They look back on their lives with satisfaction. But for some
others, growing older is a painful, difficult process. Physical
and mental health begins to deteriorate. They see their lives
as a series of unfulfilled dreams. They feel helpless and
hopeless. This kind of outlook, along with other factors,
may lead to consideration of suicide.
In fact, the highest suicide rate in the
United States is among those over the age of 65. And, while
"senior citizens" over 65 represent only about 12
percent of the total U.S. population, they account for more
than 20 percent of the nation's suicides. Each year, more
than 6,000 older Americans kill themselves.
Single men over the age of 65 have one of
the highest suicide rates in the country. For them depression
caused by retirement, death of a spouse or child, and the
aging process are difficult to come to terms with. They, along
with older women, are reluctant to seek the psychiatric treatment
which could alleviate many of their signs of depression.
These people and others like them see suicide
as the only solution. But feelings can be changed, and suicide
can be prevented.
Causes
Suicide is not caused by any one factor,
but likely by a combination of them. Suicide is often a result
of depression, loss of self-esteem, and inability to see a
positive future. Some factors that influence the attitudes
and behaviors of older people include:
- Decline
in physical, mental and emotional health
- Reduced
mobility
- Fear
of disability
- Economic
and environmental limitations
- Change
in relationships, particularly marital status (divorce or
death of a spouse)
- Life
situations; retirement
- Social
isolation
- Substance
abuse, especially alcohol
- Prior
psychiatric illness, especially clinical depression
Any combination of these factors may lead
an older individual to consider suicide as a solution to a
problem or crisis that causes much emotional pain.
Depression
Depression
is considered to be a highly common cause of suicide. About
75 percent of those individuals who commit suicide are depressed.
People often mistake depression for "the blues,"
and therefore the illness goes untreated. Depression is caused
by a number of factors, from chemical imbalances to psychological
make-up to environmental influences. A person with depression
will likely display one or more of the following behaviors:
- Feelings
of worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, total indifference
and/or unreasonable guilt
- Prolonged
sadness; unexplained crying spells
- Jumpiness
or irritability
- Withdrawal
from formerly enjoyable activities or relationships
- Inability
to concentrate or remember details; indecisiveness
- Noticeable
change in appetite with sudden weight loss or gain
- Changes
in sleep patterns: constant fatigue, insomnia, early waking,
oversleeping
- Physical
ailments that cannot be explained otherwise
- Thoughts
of death or suicide attempts
Recognizing
the Signs
Most
cases of suicide in older adults are not impulsive, and therefore
there is time to help a potential victim. A person who is
considering suicide will probably:
- show
signs of depression;
- talk
about or seem preoccupied with death;
- give
away important possessions;
- suddenly
put personal affairs in order;
- neglect
hygiene and self-care;
- stop
taking medicines or following diets;
- acquire
a weapon.
What
to Do
If you
suspect someone is at risk of committing suicide, you should
always take suicidal signs seriously. Ask the person if he
or she is considering suicide. Become involved or offer support,
hope, encouragement and understanding. Never dare the person
to do it; he or she just might. Most importantly, take action
immediately.
There
are many resources available to help suicidal elders, including
crisis intervention agencies and crisis hotlines, support
groups and psychiatric hospitals.
Remember,
Alzheimers disease does not protect one from depression and
suicide.
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Overview