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Early Data Suggest Suicides Are Rising
Wall Street Journal ^ | November 23, 2009 | Sara Murray and Betsy McKay

Posted on 11/22/2009 6:02:58 PM PST by reaganaut1

Early signs suggest the number of suicides in the U.S. crept up during the worst recession in decades, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of states that account for about 40% of the U.S. population.

Available data, still incomplete, suggest that this recession, like past ones, coincided with an uptick in suicides. The data from 19 states find an increase in suicides in the recessionary year of 2008 from 2007. Those states historically account for about half of annual suicides in the U.S. Calls to suicide hotlines are rising. And suicides in the workplace and the military -- a small sliver all of self-inflicted deaths -- were up in 2008.

Official data on suicides in the U.S. lag, and a 2008 national tally isn't yet available. In 2007, there were 33,185 suicides, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with an average of about 32,800 in the previous three years.

A Journal survey of the 33 largest states by population found 19 have data for 2008. In all, those 19 reported a total of 15,335 suicides in 2008, up about 2.3% from the previous year.

Thirteen states, accounting for 30% of the U.S. population, reported more suicides in 2008. In Florida, for instance, suicides were up 6%, in Georgia, up 2.3%, and in North Carolina, up 7.8%. In six smaller states, which account for about 9.5% of the population, the number of suicides fell.

The precise reasons for the rise in suicides aren't yet known. But suicide rates have historically risen during tough economic times, when unemployment is high, suicide experts say.

...

Calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a government-funded number (1-800-273-TALK) linked to a network of crisis centers, are on pace to reach about 630,000 in 2009

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: fourth100days; mentalhealth; psychology; suicide
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Another sign that America is moving in the wrong direction, not that Washington Democrats will notice or care.
1 posted on 11/22/2009 6:03:00 PM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

I know of two nearby in Michigan. Retired auto worker couple.


2 posted on 11/22/2009 6:04:13 PM PST by madison10
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To: reaganaut1

It Bush’s fault!


3 posted on 11/22/2009 6:06:22 PM PST by Bad Jack Bauer (Fat and Bald? I was BORN fat and bald, thank you very much!)
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To: reaganaut1

Some people just can’t adjust to being hit with all this “hope and change” at one time.


4 posted on 11/22/2009 6:06:25 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Hey America! How's that hopey changey "diversity" thing workin' out for ya?)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Sad part is, the deceased will undoubtedly keep on voting Democrat for years to some.


5 posted on 11/22/2009 6:07:47 PM PST by nascarnation
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To: FlingWingFlyer
We are an economy built on the back of credit. It's no surprise that people are getting desperate, and that they will continue to become even more desperate as the Robot-in-Chief pushes his Wall Street/Soros agenda.
6 posted on 11/22/2009 6:09:09 PM PST by Carling (Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: reaganaut1

Once Obama fills his international coffers with US dollars, nothing could perhaps matter outside of another world war. Simply electing GOP reps may not turn the tide.

Even if the Dems are elected out of office, they still will control our currency.


8 posted on 11/22/2009 6:11:35 PM PST by Carling (Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.)
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To: nascarnation

Sad part is, the deceased will undoubtedly keep on voting Democrat for years to some.
**************************

True!


9 posted on 11/22/2009 6:14:27 PM PST by Canedawg (Bring lawyers, guns and money.)
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To: reaganaut1

If I call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, will it be re-directed to a call center in India where Mohammad will act excited and ask if I were interested in 72 virgins?


10 posted on 11/22/2009 6:17:31 PM PST by BipolarBob (Thailand?)
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I’m more appalled at the reaction of the media to this, what do they think people who have lost everything, job, money, car, house maybe even a family because of this economy would react?

Do all the liberals out there really think that everything will be fine and the good times are just around the corner?

We are hurting, this country is hurting and it seems like no one gives a damn.


11 posted on 11/22/2009 6:19:02 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: BipolarBob
If I call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, will it be re-directed to a call center in India where Mohammad will act excited and ask if I were interested in 72 virgins?

Nope, will probably re direct you to the Police who will come and confiscate all your weapons, then drag you off to some state run hospital for observation.

12 posted on 11/22/2009 6:21:13 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: reaganaut1

I wonder how much this parallels atheism and the hopelessness that follows that??

All people need to do is come back to the Church and renew their faith, hope and love.

The Lord will then help them to perservere through their troubles.

Suicide is NOT the answer. (And I know, I had to ID my father in law who committed suicide. So gruesome.)

Another thing that people lack is the humility to ask for help whether from a friend, a relative, a co-worker, a pastor or some agency. The help is out there.

Prayers that these people can turn their lives around.


13 posted on 11/22/2009 6:28:27 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: reaganaut1
It's from all that HOPE that the kenyan has inspried in everyone. /sarc

How much CHANGE does America need before they get tired of it?
14 posted on 11/22/2009 6:36:14 PM PST by FrankR (SENATE: You cram it down our throats in '09, We'll shove it up your ass in '10...count on it.)
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To: nascarnation

“Sad part is, the deceased will undoubtedly keep on voting Democrat for years to some.”

Very funny and astute observation = and yes, very sad.


15 posted on 11/22/2009 6:40:14 PM PST by madmominct
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To: madison10

We’ve had two suicides by cop in the last month. Another attempted but failed when he was tazered...


16 posted on 11/22/2009 6:40:51 PM PST by Crapgame (What should be taught in our schools? American Exceptionalism, not cultural Marxism...)
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To: reaganaut1
Some people realized that the HOPE & CHANGE thing was all a fairytale.
17 posted on 11/22/2009 6:46:41 PM PST by American Constitutionalist (There is no civility in the way the Communist/Marxist want to destroy the USA)
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To: reaganaut1

“The precise reasons for the rise in suicides aren’t yet known. But suicide rates have historically risen during tough economic times, when unemployment is high, suicide experts say.”

Gee. Ya THINK?

What’s REALLY scary is that it’s usually White Males that kill themselves. They’re an Endangered Species no matter where you look. And that’s very, very sad for our Nation...and it’s also by design.

Thanks Liberals with all of your PC crap and your insistence that ‘family’ mean nothing and that the color or your skin matters so much more than the content of your character!

Thanks NOW Hags and your insistence that men aren’t necessary in any way, shape or form...except as sperm donors and ATM Machines.

Thanks Roe v. Wade and a CORRUPT SCOTUS which has allowed the abortion of 51% male babies since that dark, dark day it was passed! (Nature always balances us out; global birth rates always show 49/51 or 51/49 for male vs. female at any given time.)

I’m going to go hug my white male husband and son and tell them that they are VITAL to my life. Call me a racist. I don’t care. ;)


18 posted on 11/22/2009 6:50:10 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (We have a Pisher in Chief!)
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http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html


19 posted on 11/22/2009 6:50:53 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (We have a Pisher in Chief!)
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To: reaganaut1

You can fix a messed-up life. You can’t fix dead.


20 posted on 11/22/2009 6:51:54 PM PST by RichInOC (No! BAD Rich! (What'd I say?))
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