According to the Associated Press, nearly 50,000 people committed suicide last year, an absolute record in terms of raw numbers and the highest rate in nearly a century. Though, as one scholar noted, there’s always the chance that the numbers are up on account of better reporting, that doesn’t explain the consistent increase in these numbers over the last two decades. Something is broken in the United States, and it’s us.
It can be tempting to think that suicide will always be someone else’s problem. But given its rapid rise, particularly among young people where as many as four in ten teens struggle with suicidal thoughts on a daily basis, chances are high that all of us will have the opportunity to help save a life at some point. The question then becomes how well we will be equipped to do so when that situation arises.
A Nigerian pastor committed suicide recently after his girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal.
The CDC lists anxiety and depression as significant factors with regard to suicide; teens and their parents are especially at risk. Serious illness such as chronic pain, criminal/legal problems, job/financial problems or loss, impulsive or aggressive tendencies, substance use, current or prior history of adverse childhood experiences, violence victimization and/or perpetration, and a sense of hopelessness are the other factors cited.
The recent apparent death by suicide of a beloved pastor in Texas made the issue more real for me. It caused me to reflect on other pastors I’ve known over the years who died in the same way. And to relive memorial services I have conducted for suicide victims and their families, among the most painful experiences of my life.
These reflections raise a formative question: Does our faith help to prevent suicide? If so, why? If not, why not?
Christian singer Katy Nichole encouraged the audience at her show during the Rock the Universe Christian music festival to "hold on" to God amid deep despair.
Jason David Frank, best known for his role as the Green Power Ranger in the hit 90s superhero television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has died after committing suicide. He was 49.
A Georgia pastor on trial for raping a minor has committed suicide.
A Florida pastor who was accused of raping two teenage girls has died of an “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to police.
I am not a medical doctor or professional counselor and am not offering professional advice on the issue of suicide and mental health. However, as a minister, I can encourage anyone who is considering suicide to seek help immediately. I can also encourage anyone who knows someone who is suffering emotionally or considering suicide to help them seek help now.
For years now, experts have warned of the so-called “deaths from despair,” describing the increased rates of mental illness, depression, and addictions among many population segments in our country. In addition to these, however, there’s another pre-existing condition that often goes unmentioned: American hyper-individualism.
