Suicide

Book excerpt: An urgent call to action on a rising—and preventable—trend. Each year in the United States alone, nearly 50,000 individuals die by suicide; more than 1.2 million others attempt it. John Bateson, former executive director of a suicide prevention center, examines this national tragedy from multiple angles while debunking common myths, sharing demographic data, and identifying risk factors and warning signs. Suicide provides essential information about the current landscape surrounding suicide in the United States as well as strategies to prevent further tragedy. Bateson emphasizes that the rise in suicide and attempted suicide is not only a mental health issue affecting individuals but also an urgent problem for society at large. He discusses suicide in parks, prisons, and the military, as well as assisted suicide, suicide by cop, and murder-suicide. In particular, he details the stark relationship among guns, drugs, jump sites, and suicide, focusing on one of the most effective ways to prevent suicide—restricting access to lethal means. In addition to presenting practical information for identifying people at risk of suicide, Bateson details important steps that individuals, businesses, and the government can take to end this public health problem.