First Kate Spade, Now Anthony Bourdain: What's Going On?

Suicide in the U.S. has spiked by 30% since 1999.  Why has this happened and what are we going to do about it?  With the suicides of two high profile, successful people, I asked myself, "What's going on?"  It's not a simple answer.  It's hard to understand how successful adults who seem to "have it all" would find life so bad that they would take their lives.  About 90% of adults who commit suicide have been diagnosed with depression.  Apparently psychologists have not yet found successful ways to deal with depression.  Depression often leads to drug and alcohol abuse, which may ultimately lead to suicide.  Other factors include poor relationships, homelessness or loss of job.  So, what we need to do is raise healthy children and do everything we can diminish the possibility of depression.

According to the World Health Organization, there is a suicide every 40 seconds, somewhere in the world.  Among teens age 15-19 suicide rates are highest.  Much of teen suicide is related to the toxic socialization for teens.  What this means is physical or emotional childhood and adolescent abuse, which makes suicide 12 times more likely.  Violent methods of punishment such as spanking, have got to go.  Shaming a child to teach him a lesson has no place in modern society.  There is no justification for abuse.  Statistics show that children who are beaten, abused or shamed are more likely to be violent adults, poor parents, or suicide risks.  Children need love and nurturing to develop into emotionally stable adults.

Drugs and alcohol seem to be the two leading problems that end in suicide.  Suicide used to be called "the silent killer,"  but that is no longer so.  Celebrities coming out and talking about depression, struggles with drugs and alcohol, or teens revealing bullying and shaming that they have endured, brings this problem out in the open, but solutions are not in sight.  We've got a long way to go.  Let's start with the children, and concentrate on raising emotionally healthy adults.  Keep violence out of child rearing and work on raising kids that love and respect one another, and the world around them.