Let us focus on the common predictors of suicide risk.
Age/Gender
Higher rate of suicide is listed among middle age (45-64). The stress factors that cause this high rate are: financial challenges, unemployment, and becoming a part of the “Sandwich Generation”. The Sandwich generation are taking care of the children and aging parents. Older Caucasian men most likely to commit suicide, follow by Indian men and young inner-city African Americans men. While men complete suicide at a 1 to 4 ratio, women suicide attempts are at a 3 to 1 ratio.
Geographic
Western states have a higher suicide rate: Montana, Alaska, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, and South Dakota. The states with the lowest suicide rates were Washington D.C, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.
Health Factors can include:
Mental health issues can include: depression, substance abuse (alcoholism and drugs), Bipolar, anxiety, conduct disorder, and personality traits.
Chronic pain.
Traumatic brain injury
Environmental Factors can include:
Having availability to lethal means (firearms and drugs).
Being in environment of prolonged stress (harassment, bullying, relationships issues or unemployment).
Going through stressful events within one’s lifestyle (people rejections, financial crisis, or loss).
Being exposed to another person’s suicide or graphic accounts of suicides.
Historical Factors can include:
Previous suicide attempts
Generational Curse through family history of suicide
Abusive childhood, neglect or trauma
We as God’s children and servants can be proactive to suicide by engaging in ongoing educational sources in the area of mental health, circulating within a faith-based community, surrounding ourselves with Christlike family members and friends (when possible), and continuing to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ.
“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121: 1-2).
