Rising Suicide Rates: A Call for Action

        Suicide is a major public health concern resulting in heavy emotional consequences for survivors and their loved ones. According to an article from Fox News, recent data has forced the “silent crisis” into the public attention (Dhar,2013). While suicide rates among children and elderly have leveled off in recent years, over the past decade suicide trends have risen nearly thirty percent for middle-aged adults. It is thought the ongoing economic downturn and access to medications among other factors have contributed to the rising rates among the baby boomer population. In addition, for all age groups, there are often underlying psychological conditions including depression, and anxiety, which lead to suicidal behavior.
    

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm

   Despite recent efforts to target suicide prevention, the social stigmas associated with mental illness have been a barrier for progress. There are damaging misconceptions that those suffering from severe depression want to be left alone, while evidence supports the contrary. It is commonly assumed that individuals experiencing depressive thoughts can pull themselves through out of willpower, when in reality, they are in need of social and professional support (Dhar,2013).The article emphasizes that communication is crucial to identify common behaviors associated with suicide and to intervene before it is too late.

While there have been recent school-based interventions for suicide directed at young adults and teens, it is evident the adult population is also in need of attention (Dhar,2013). The World Health Organization(WHO) validates that suicide has not been properly addressed in today's society because of the lack of awareness and social stigmas (WHO, 2013). The current data regarding the problem is skewed because incidences of suicide are often under reported and under prioritized in most countries. Even still, within the Unites States, suicide is reported to be among the top 20 leading causes of death for individuals ten and older (WHO,2013). To target prevention at the individual, family, community, and global level, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests a public health approach to combat suicide. Government programs are shown to be effective in promoting awareness, providing evidence-based prevention strategies, and advocating for social change (CDC, 2013). The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is one organization that provides guidance for schools, health care systems, workplaces, clinicians, and other sectors in society. The public health mission for this program is to cultivate a positive dialogue for discussing mental health, enhance surveillance data to increase awareness, and to better integrate suicide prevention in the health care system(CDC, 2013).

   Nurses and other health care providers  play a key role in identifying the warning signs and establishing interventions for suicidal behavior.  Through a health history and assessment, one can determine if the individual has a history of suicidal attempts, psychological disorders, agitation, hopelessness, chronic pain, substance abuse, or other determinants of suicidal behavior. In addition, as a nurse, it is important to recognize the protective factors for suicide by educating the client on problem-solving behaviors, providing clinical support for underlying mental health concerns, and increasing the client's awareness of community resources( "Suicide Prevention",2012).