Whenever someone dies by suicide, the people they leave behind may always wonder why or whether there was something they could have done to stop them.
It’s complex.
"Suicide happens when the pain a person is experiencing exceeds the person's coping skills at that moment," said Roland Behm, chairman of the Georgia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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A recently released report from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that there was nearly a 30 percent increase in suicide rates between 1999 and 2016. There was a 16 percent increase in Georgia.
Wealth, celebrity and success in business or sports matter little.
“They’re in a place where they don’t think they can get through it, but the reality is there is support and people out there to help,” he said. Some people, though, may find it difficult to reach out to others because of stigma associated with suicide.
Some people may have mental health issues that have been diagnosed or not diagnosed. Others do not.
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According to the CDC, multiple factors may have contributed to a person taking his own life. There may be multiple circumstances.
Here are some of the contributing factors:
Relationship problems - 42 percent
Crisis in the past or upcoming two months - 29 percent
Problematic substance abuse - 28 percent
Physical health problem - 22 percent
Job or financial problems - 16 percent
Criminal or legal problem - 9 percent
Loss of housing - 4 percent.
Here is number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255, which is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
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