Suicides amongst the middle-aged — 45 to 54 year olds — continued to rise for the second straight year in a row, from 2006 to 2007 (the last year we have the final government data on). This means this age group enjoys the highest suicide rate in the U.S. The rate in 2007 was 17.6 per every 100,000 people, up from 17.2 per 100,000 people in 2006.
Typically, according to the article in the New York Times, the eldest segment of the population — those 80 and older — suffers the highest suicide rate. Men typically commit suicide nearly four times as often as women, and most people who contemplate suicide would carry a depression diagnosis.
Since 2000, the age-adjusted death rate for suicide has increased by 8.6 percent, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics.
We don’t know what causes these bumps in suicide rates. While there are lots of theories — 2007 was the year the real estate market really began to tumble — nobody knows for certain.
The head for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Dr. Paula Clayton, was quoted as saying it may have been caused by “easier access to guns and prescription drugs and what may be a higher incidence of depression among baby boomers.”
This, of course, made me consider checking myself into the local psychiatric hospital. Because I tend to go a little nuts when people speak from personal opinion rather than the data.
Gun ownership rates were steady for this period, as the National Center for Health Statistics notes that gun use for suicide was not statistically different: “In 2007, the age-adjusted death rate for firearm suicide and homicide was unchanged statistically from 2006.” In other words, it’s not the guns.
There also wasn’t a sudden increase in prescription drugs that would account for such a rise in suicide rates. IMS Health reports that dispensed prescriptions between 2006 and 2007 rose a steady 2.7 percent (which is half the increase from the year before, so the rate actually dropped significantly from 2006 to 2007). We expect prescription rates to steadily increase because the population itself grows every year and grows older every year too. Older people tend to be prescribed and take more medications.
We generally don’t have good data on annual prevalence rates for things like depression, so can’t say whether prevalence rates for depression went up from 2006 to 2007. We can, however, make a good educated guess that they did, based upon the suicide rates alone (suicide is a serious symptom of depression, so it pretty much goes without saying that if one increases, so does the other).
The upshot to a story like this is simple — suicides rose from 2006 to 2007, especially amongst the middle-aged — but we don’t really know why. If depression has increased amongst this group, it could be for a variety of reasons, none of which we can say for certain contributed to the rise in suicides. It could have been the failing real estate market, or the flailing economy and employment declines in that year, all of which may contributed to greater rates of depression in the population.
Or it could’ve been just a typical statistical up or down that normally occurs in a large population. Our expectation that death rates should always decline may simply be unrealistic, given the huge number of complex interactions that occur in society that may contribute to such changes. To pin it on a simplistic explanation (or expect a simplistic trend line down) may be simply expecting too much.
Read the full article: Rise in Suicides of Middle-Aged Is Continuing
Reference:
Deaths: Final Data for 2007 [PDF – 555 KB]. National Vital Statistics Report (Released May 20, 2010)
13 comments
Very sad, but interesting reading.
I wonder if the rise in suicides, particularly among men has to do with the economy. Men are frequently defined in our society by their job title and position in their company, and when they are taken away in a job loss, the men tend to lose their identity and self-worth.
In your first paragraph you used the phrase “enjoys the highest suicide rate”. Also there’s the use of the word upshot. A very poor choice of wording and I’m surprised someone didn’t catch these. Nothing about suicide is enjoyable, in fact it’s very devastating for all involved. I hope you have someone proofread your writing next time for sensitivity.
Perhaps the economy and difficulty for middle age folks to find work, the current lack of extended family support for many, coupled with the high divorce rate!! Also, bleak outlook on the future when your retirement is not funded!
The economy may have a lot to do with the increase in male depression.My husband became suicidal after losing his job.
English is not my first language but I appreciate your open-minded and subtle humoured articles. Too bad there are people who prefer to see someone suffering than to easy their pains or let others do what they want.
As you see not even you can’t write as you want in their opinion! Maybe you’ll see now a point in why some people prefer better specialists in a field; that could understand them. There is no narcissism in looking for someone who is having a higher IQ and knowledge otherwise anyone could be easily interpreted as cruel or non-emphatic … just because their “sensitivity” is tuned to their limited world. Thank you for another interesting article!
being a loser is very hard , specially when you find that the best part of your life has been finished and you cant effort any more in your second part or in middle age .
I agree that there are many variables in why the suicide rate is highest in this demographic. Without a well-controlled study, we will not have a accurate cause for this tragic outcome. I, myself suffer from depression and have had suicidal ideation. When I do, I run, not walk, to my psychiatrist. I urge everyone who has suicidal thoughts to do the same. Last year, my 44 year old brother killed his son, the boy’s mother and himself in a murder-suicide. This has torn my family apart and haunts me although I
went through intensive therapy to heal. Life isn’t easy but there’s always help out there. Don’t let your hopelessness trick you into thinking that’s the only solution, because it isn’t. According to Cognitive Behavior Therapy, what we think has so much power over our behavior that we lose touch with reality and we don’t even realize it. Be well, my friends and may the waters be calm and soothing, not dark and raging.
Waddya expect, we’re nothing but draft mules. You can take the grind for only so long when there’s not much to look forward to but pulling the plow until you drop.
Having a midlife (I’m 51 years old ) crisis or depression is a reality for a lot of men. It can feel as if we have lost the rudder of the reality boat as we are trying to sail through this sometimes low part of our life journey. At times we’re angry and emotional, sometimes in or out of control of our behaviour, being too soft or too harsh toward others, unclear and clear thinking, lack of focus, feeling you having everything and nothing all at once, no future prospects of happiness can be seen in your mind, and over-doing/being compulsive about some of the things we -think- we are losing (sex or manhood or respect). Also, just trying to keep it together without hurting your family and screwing everything up is in your thoughts often at this time. This mid-life man thing is some crazy stuff I never thought I’d experience. I’m coping a little easier with a better diet, walking a couple of miles every morning, trying to keep my emotions/actions in check, and staying away from booze and tobacco. In our hearts we guys know that drinking and/or smoking makes every part of our lives harder and more screwed up, yet we will keep doing it sometimes because we think it helps us get through. My midlife issues I list above started mildly at 43, and became pretty strong at age 48. I am a little better now at 51, and I have some bad days here and there, but realizing the freak show in my mind I’m experiencing at times is actually a natural chemical reaction or change and is a process of life. The bullsh** thoughts that we can have in the throws of a crisis day are not real, and not permanent. Brothers, you are not alone in this; get throught it as calmly as you can. Try to observe yourself and the crisis process as you start to act up and feel bad–this helps me alot.
I agree with a lot of posters that the near-depression economy is the major cause of the increase in suicides. These people are also baby-boomers who grew up during a period of great optimism, personal freedom and economic growth of the 1960’s, and are now witnessing economic, personal, and political stagnation, and government regulation.
Im my particular case 48 yr old twice divorcee kids grown and married have a crappy job, *but a job nonethless* I fail to see a purpose to living.
my life is groundhog day, day in day out . I’ve lost hope – reality of life has set in and guess what – this is as good as it gets. As far as therapists goes, I won’t even approach that cuz how do you give hope to the hopeless? I’m just taking up preciscous landscape that could be better utilized. My position at work would be filled by someone thrilled to have it. My evening plans..go home, take every prescription pill i can get my hands on and wash it down with bourbon. Early start to the weekend, hey?
“This age enjoys the highest suicide rate in the U.S”. The word ‘enjoy’ isn’t appropriate in this context in any sense of the word whatsoever.
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