Suicide Rate Higher In Middle Aged Americans

Suicide Rate Higher In Middle Aged Americans

The suicide rate in the United States for middle aged people rose by a serious 28 percent in the past 10 years. The period in which the study was conducted included the mortgage crisis and the recession.

The growth was higher in the case of white men and women, whose suicide numbers rose by nearly 40 percent between 2000 and 2010.

The suicide rate of younger and older people and also that of African Americans and other ethnic minorities was stable.

One reason behind the spike in numbers may be the recession that peaked in 2009 and that may have affected white males and females a lot harder as they do not have the large families and tight communities that other ethnic minorities have.

Even after the recession, the weak economy coupled with a slow hiring rate might be one reason behind the rise in suicide numbers.

Another theory was that statistically speaking, the “baby boomer” generation was always more prone to suffer from depression and to commit suicide. So that tendency may have been taken into middle age, and triggered even more by the tough economic climate.

The most used method to commit suicide remained guns, while hanging and drug overdoses where the other methods most preferred.

Out of data taken from 39 states, the biggest suicide rate came in the West and South, one reason being the cultural differences that prohibit seeking help in tougher periods.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday May 03 2013, 2:38 AM EST. Ref: ABC. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0