40,000 suicides annually, yet America simply shrugs

[Abdullah the Butcher]

http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/10/09/suicide-mental-health-prevention-research/15276353/

Americans are far more likely to kill themselves than each other. Homicides have fallen by half since 1991, but the U.S. suicide rate keeps climbing. The nearly 40,000 American lives lost each year make suicide the nation's 10th-leading cause of death, and the second-leading killer for those ages 15-34. Each suicide costs society about $1 million in medical and lost-work expenses and emotionally victimizes an average of 10 other people.

Yet a national effort to stem this raging river of self-destruction 90% of which occurs among Americans suffering mental illness is in disarray.

[Creighton Duke]

This is a very unfortunate topic, but while suicide is overwhelmingly a male (4 times as many as female) and white problem, it will most likely not garner the attention that it deserves.

 

https://www.afsp.org/understanding-suicide/facts-and-figures

[carlfense]

Our system of mental health treatment (particularly for the poor) is virtually non-existent. It's not an emotionally appealing topic for most people so there is virtually no incentive for the politicians to address the issue.

[Creighton Duke]

Our system of mental health treatment (particularly for the poor) is virtually non-existent. It's not an emotionally appealing topic for most people so there is virtually no incentive for the politicians to address the issue.

[Junior]

Our system of mental health treatment (particularly for the poor) is virtually non-existent. It's not an emotionally appealing topic for most people so there is virtually no incentive for the politicians to address the issue.

 

Unless we can relate it to gun violence as a way to distract people from a gun control debate. We can use it for that... but then never actually address the issue.

[carlfense]

 

Our system of mental health treatment (particularly for the poor) is virtually non-existent. It's not an emotionally appealing topic for most people so there is virtually no incentive for the politicians to address the issue.

 

Unless we can relate it to gun violence as a way to distract people from a gun control debate. We can use it for that... but then never actually address the issue.

 

Excellent point.

[BigRedBuster]

Personally, I believe deinstitutionalizing mental health has caused a huge ripple effect in our society that many don't realize.

 

LINK

 

This could be an issue that affects everything from drug abuse, homelessness, crime, suicides, mass murder gun violences...etc.