Depression Can Lead to Suicide

According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people age 15 to 34. Why? According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people of all ages worldwide suffer from depression, which can lead to suicide. The good news is that depression is treatable, but the bad news is that fewer than half of those who suffer from depression receive treatment.
In other words, one of the best ways we might be able to prevent suicide is to first recognize and treat those who suffer from depression, which is not always easy to identify. To identify depression, we should ask, “Am I or another loved one functioning in all areas of life, such as work, family and sleep. Other common symptoms of depression are: 1) Agitation, restlessness, irritability; 2) Feeling sad or empty; 3)Fatigue or loss of energy; 4) Feelings of worthlessness, homelessness or guilt; 5) Lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities; 6) Inability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness; 7) Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness; 8) Significant weight loss or gain, or decrease or increase in appetite; 9) Recurrent thoughts of death, suicide attempts or plans for completing suicide.
Often times people become depressed following a loss, such as a death of a family member or loved one, a divorce, a job or is unemployed because they cannot find a job. However, sometimes people who appeared to be depressed might suddenly appear to be extremely happy. The worst part is that the increase in mood and energy may actually help a person act on their suicidal thoughts. Suicidal people also might suddenly become very generous and start giving things away. That happened to me. The last time I visited a former neighbor and my confirmation sponsor, he gave me a metal measuring cup set and metal measuring spoon set. A short time later, she stopped taking her diabetes medicine and passed away. Now every time I see or use these measuring cups and/or spoons, I think of her.
If you feel a loved one or someone you know might need some help, don’t hesitate to try to get them some help through local counseling or mental-health services.
Note: This article is based on previous newspaper stories I wrote, my own experiences and several other resources I found online.