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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums64% of all gun deaths are suicides
"Over the past 30 years, firearm suicides have exceeded homicides even when homicide rates were at their highest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But, since 2006, the gap between the two has been widening, with firearm homicides decreasing and suicides increasing"
Now, that's interesting. I had a very close friend whose wife died, he hung on for a few months then went to his cabin and ended his life via a gun to the head.
Suicide is a sad,violent choice but I really feel for those people that the despondent person takes with them before that momentous decision - other family members and innocents.
http://www.futurity.org/gun-deaths-suicides-homicides-822392/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=76067f0ba4-December_18_201412_18_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e34e8ee443-76067f0ba4-203922261
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)Gun owners please do NOT simply disregard this info out of hand. Depression and suicide are horrible and acknowledging this can save your life or the life of someone you love. Be aware and take precautions if you or someone you love are depressed ... I have lost a close loved one to suicide .... just be aware.
What is it about Guns?
Guns are more lethal than other suicide means. Theyre quick. And theyre irreversible.
About 85% of attempts with a firearm are fatal: thats a much higher case fatality rate than for nearly every other method. Many of the most widely used suicide attempt methods have case fatality rates below 5%. (See Case Fatality Ratio by Method of Self-Harm.)
Attempters who take pills or inhale car exhaust or use razors have some time to reconsider mid-attempt and summon help or be rescued. The method itself often fails, even in the absence of a rescue. Even many of those who use hanging can stop mid-attempt as about half of hanging suicides are partial-suspension (meaning the person can release the pressure if they change their mind) (Bennewith 2005).With a firearm, once the trigger is pulled, theres no turning back.
How do People Most Commonly Complete Suicide?
More use a firearm (52%) than every other method combined. Suffocation (mostly hanging) accounts for 23%, poisoning/overdose for 18%, jumps 2%, cuts 2%, and other 4%.
Most nonfatal self-harm treated in the emergency department results from poisoning/overdose (64%), followed by cutting (19%). Less than 1% of nonfatal attempts are with a gun.
lancer78
(1,495 posts)in Japan, where it is nearly impossible to get a gun, is sky high. The problem in this country with suicide has a lot to do with the economic problems facing the vast majority of americans as well as the total disregard of mental health.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)My message is simple ... if you or someone you love are depressed or despondent pay attention .... do what needs to be done to decrease the potential by putting up barriers to access for common means of suicide. The OP was about the lethality of guns when used in suicide ... my response addresses this. By no means should one ignore other means with lesser "success"
Reducing a Suicidal Persons Access to Lethal Means of Suicide
http://actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/sites/actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org/files/Reducing%20a%20Suicidal%20Persons%20Access%20to%20Lethal.pdf
Amishman
(5,559 posts)My thought is that perhaps those most serious about suicide choose to use a firearm because of the high success rate of this method. I wonder what percentage of gun suicides bought the gun just for that purpose?
Also curious if waiting periods lowered the rate of suicide success? If it did, then we really need to reinstate waiting periods. If not, then its pretty clear that those most serious about suicide either were willing to wait or chose another high success method.
This is an area that really needs more study.
iscooterliberally
(2,863 posts)One was a good friend that played Russian Roulette with 3 rounds in a revolver. He had been addicted to cocaine and dropped into a deep depression. His girlfriend at the time had had bouts of depression and flirted with suicide (or so I was told). My dad's girlfriend also did herself in with a revolver. She shot herself in the heart with a snub nosed .38. The round went through her, and through the sofa chair she was sitting in. It then when through the front window and a large ficus hedge. The police found the bullet in the neighbor's driveway across the street. It's amazing that no one else was injured or killed when that went down. It was a crowded neighborhood. I guess because she did it at night most everyone was inside. Both of these incidents occurred years ago. My friend was in 2001, and my dad's GF was around 2004.
dawg
(10,624 posts)I'm not a gun control guy at all, but a common sense waiting period might save some lives.
GusBob
(7,286 posts)Man kills wife then self for example. Or even the mass killings followed by suicide like columbine
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)... for people ... especially for those heading into this time of year that are despondent/ battling depression.
Any reminder to remove access ... in addition to seeking treatment and or providing support ... is a GOOD IDEA.