Robin Williams' Death Sheds Light on National Problem of Suicide

Less than six months ago, legendary comedian, actor, and philanthropist Robin Williams committed suicide.  Williams’ death cast a light on social issues that are often times kept in the dark.  Williams had struggled with depression and substance abuse in the past.  For Robin Williams to take his own life shows that even people with significant resources can face challenging times in their lives and struggle with depression.  Williams’ death was tragic news for millions of his fans.  Perhaps his death can lead other people who are having difficulty with substance abuse, depression, or other mental health concerns to seek treatment.

Suicide is a national health problem.  Suicide can occur in any age or demographic group.  According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes in the United States.  This represents approximately 32,000 deaths per year.  Additionally, the Foundation also estimates that a suicide attempt is made every minute in the United States, with close to 1 million people attempting suicide annually.  Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for American adults between the ages of 18 to 65 and the 3rd leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention talking about suicide makes most people feel uncomfortable.  Often times, people who commit suicide are blamed for their actions and their family and friends become stigmatized.  In the U.S., the most common methods of suicide include: firearms, suffocation, and poisoning.  Research indicates that risk factors for suicide include: previous suicide attempts, family history of suicide, depression or other mental illnesses, history of alcohol or drug abuse, traumatic event or loss, access to lethal methods, and incarceration.
Suicide is a national health problem that should not be overlooked.  It is imperative for our country to have a constructive dialogue regarding suicide.  Research from the CDC also indicates that: there were 38,364 suicides in 2010 in the United States, an average of 105 each day.  In 2010, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for all ages in the United States.  

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Recovery Month supports addiction treatment programs and services

F or twenty-three years Americans have celebrated the month of September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   The purpose of Recovery month is to educate Americans about mental health services and addiction treatment programs that can help people struggling with substance abuse.   Recovery month also raises awareness about specific challenges that people in recovery face.   Although drug and alcohol addictions are complex problems with the correct treatment and support people who struggle with these addictions can recover. In a Presidential Proclamation On August 31, 2012, President Barack Obama declared September 2012 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   In his proclamation Obama said: “Over the past 3 years, we have worked to strengthen substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, and to support Americans in recovery… Drug and alcohol abuse continue to take a tragic toll on millions of lives across our country.   Yet, while more remai
Read more

The Life and Art of Allan Rohan Crite

Image
The Boston Public Library was one of three locations in the city of Boston to display the art work of longtime Bostonian and artist Allan Rohan Crite. Beginning in the fall of 2007 until February 3, 2008, the BPL, the Boston Athenaeum, and the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists exhibited collected works of art from Crite’s storied career in The Life and Art of Allan Rohan Crite: 1910-2007 . Funded in part by the Boston Public Library Foundation, the exhibit offered onlookers a view into Crite’s lengthy artistic career. When I visited the exhibit on January 19, 2008, over fifty collages, drawings, paintings, and sketches adorned the Wiggins Gallery in the McKim Building of The Boston Public Library. Crite was born on March 20, 1910, in Plainfield, New Jersey. In that same year, his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Crite would later make Boston his home as an adult. Over the course of his distinguished career he promoted visual art as a lecturer, p
Read more

Political legislation brings attention to US Dental Care Crisis

A ccording to a report created by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) there is a national crisis in American dental care.   On June 7, 2012 Cummings and Sanders – the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced legislation to address the inefficiencies in the American dental care system.   Approximately 130 million Americans do not have dental insurance.   ¼ of American adults 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.   More than 75% of American adults over 30 have gum disease.   Additionally, about 17 million low-income children do not go to the dentist every year. On June 26, 2012, PBS aired a documentary about the U.S. dental care system on the investigative news program FRONTLINE .   The 50 minute documentary, Dollars and Dentists , analyzes current economic trends and patient access in the dental care industry.   The documentary is a joint investigative piece by FRONTLINE and the Center fo
Read more