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US Suicide Rate Surges To Highest Level In Almost Three Decades, Says Report (bbc.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from BBC: The suicide rate in the U.S. has surged to its highest level in almost three decades, according to a new report from the CDC. There was no explanation for the rise but some experts have pointed to increased abuse of prescription opiates and the financial downturn that began in 2008 as likely factors. The report did not break down the suicides by education level or income, but previous studies found rising suicide rates among white people without university degrees. CDC reported on Friday that suicides have increased in the US to a rate of 13 per 100,000 people, the highest since 1986. The overall suicide rate rose by 24% from 1999 to 2014, according to the CDC. However, the rate increased 43% among white men ages 45 to 64 and 63% for women in the same age-range. In 2014, more than 14,000 middle-aged white people killed themselves. That figure is double the combined suicides total for all blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. The suicide rate only declined for only two groups: black men and all people over 75.
With the press, political garbage, continued military actions, bad economy and the apparent focus on material wealth- who would expect a different outcome?
People need stability, security, and community to really thrive. This country has not promoted those values.
This shouldn't be framed as a political or religious problem- it's a lack of decency. It means that as individuals we've simply stopped caring. Societies rise and fall based on how people treat others on a daily basis. We treat each other badly. Some people will decide to leave. Some will take their lives. Some just take it. Those who complain are called whiners.
You can in fact beat a person to the point where they prefer death. The beatings in the USA are done by a million paper cuts.
Another consultant who stuck it out.
"We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx..."
Sounds like the legacy of Reaganomics (aka sell out to the highest bidder - "I got mines") to me - high unemployment, deregulation causing massive harm on many levels, low wages, eviscerated unions, corporate oligarchy running roughshod over actual people...
...should probably include a hotline number.
some experts have pointed to increased abuse of prescription opiates
That is a symptom, not the cause.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
I finally made it to Social Security, which is a little better.
The worst part is going from being a creative, contributing member of society to an over-the-hill guy that nobody needs. The most depressing thing is knowing that you have nothing useful to offer. If you're just a burden on your family, why live?
The money is also a problem. It would be a lot easier if we had European social welfare systems like Germany or the Scandanavian countries, where unemployed workers get almost as much as their historical income, and even get retraining for new jobs.
We used to have a social contract in America. The corporations broke it.
We used to have a social contract in America. The corporations broke it.
As demanded by the voters. And this year doesn't look any different. Same old same old...
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Most of history was a worst time to be alive than right now, for the average person at least. It just somehow always seems to be fashionable to claim that "things were always better in the good ole days". It's just stupid cliche' bullshit from entitled brats.
'Economics' as prescribed by governments of the world, 'economics' as promoted by governments through support of institutions and institutional 'economists' by governments, 'economists' who receive Nobel Prizes for their 'theories' that support government position (which is simply always the same: let government dictate economic and monetary policy, let government set price levels, leg government control labour and business, let government infuse money to 'stimulate', let government manipulate interest rates), these 'economics'? Yes, these 'economics' don't have to show any basis for their predictions other than ideology.
You can't handle the truth.
The rise in suicide in women means important people might actually give a shit. Male suicide is our own fault for not smashing the patriarchy or something.