pushed to the edge. People tend to assume that the average person, when pushed far enough, is more likely to snap and hurt
someone than he is to commit suicide. When considering the strong survival instinct that human beings have, this is an
understandable assumption. However, the grim reality is that suicide rates are on the rise and, sadly, becoming suicidal is
not as hard as most people would like to believe. In fact, in some cases, what amounts to a barely noticeable problem for
some, can become the only reason another person needs to put the loaded .45 caliber to their mouth.
In America alone, according to reports published by the Center for Disease Control, the suicide rates are at their highest
for the past 25 years. Young adults have been the most notable targets of suicide prevention campaigns, along with college
students studying far from home. This is because the volatile combination of anxiety, societal pressure, self-expectations,
and possibly low-level depression all take a toll on their minds. In the end, all that it takes might be just the slightest
push and the next thing you know, he's bungee jumping without the bungee cord. However, according to the same report
published by the CDC, the steady increase in the number of suicides among the middle-aged far outstrips the rates for young
adults.
Some experts believe this to be an unrecognized problem. Most government programs and systems focus on teenagers and young
adults, particularly fresh college graduates and college students. Traditionally, college students tend to be the demographic
that is most likely to commit suicide out of anxiety or social pressure. Most of the rest of the pie is firmly interested in
people who have reached old age, who are seen to be more likely to commit suicide out of depression and loneliness. There is
barely any notice given to the age brackets in between those two extremes. Many have come to see the increasing suicide rates
of middle-aged people to be a result of that neglect.
According to the statistics, middle-aged women seem to be committing suicide more than ever. Males, on the other hand, tend
to commit suicide during their later years, according to CDC statistics. Currently, the CDC is not quite sure what is causing
this problem, but they have managed to eliminate a number of possible factors. Looking at records, the CDC has managed to
eliminate cases which might be seen as suicides, such as unintentional drug overdoses. For the time being, the CDC is trying
to see what the primary triggers for middle-aged suicides are, in the same way that most young suicides are caused by social
pressure, emotional distress, and anxiety.
According to the findings of the CDC and a number of independent authorities, the number of suicides within the age brackets
labeled as “middle-aged,” the increase was a frightening 6%. While this may seem like a small amount, it roughly translates
to 16 to 17 suicides for every 100,000 people on a yearly basis. This is in sharp contrast to the 1% increase found to have
occurred to younger age brackets.
