Suicide more common than homicide in the US

[Tobra]

I don't have a source on this, heard it quoted during a Discovery Channel program about San Quentin, but it struck me as hard to believe.

Do you suppose this is accurate, and if so, how do you explain it?

Is the stress of keeping up with the Jones driving people to despondency, or maybe the heartbreak of psoriasis.

More people killing themselves than each other, could it really be possible?

[Joeaksa]

There was a thread on OT last week from someone in Cali saying that all his friends were depressed about the state of the world and saw no future.

With an outlook like this, people with no backbone and a weak mind may think that offing themselves is the only way out. Never could understand that myself but somepeople do not have the gumption to kick themselves in the ass and get going.

Its possible, have not noticed it around this part of the country but who knows..

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
I think that people in the US these days are going soft. They need to be thankful for the things that they have...

-Wayne

Boy aint that the truth! Most of our parents lived through the Great Depression and those were lean times.

I have been called or emailed three times today alone for jobs or contracts for jobs. Guess its in the eye of the beholder but if we are in a depression or bad times I sure as hell am staying busy!

[juanbenae]

it will be great in 08...

yes, another bush slam.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by k911sc
it will be great in 08...

yes, another bush slam.

Thats a great way to look at the future! With an attitude like that the Democrats will cease to exist in a few years. Is that what you want? If not then get off of your rear and get to work fixing it!

America did not become the great country that it is by having a bunch of lazy people doing nothing but complaining. You want something you usually have to work for it.

[scottmandue]

I don't want to be a negative Nellie but...

We are in a war with no foreseeable end.

Real estate and gas prices are through the roof (the average middle class single income family cannot afford a house), the doom sayers say a crash is just around the corner (I'm not saying it is).

Jobs are moving overseas.

Our economy is dependent on China and Mexico.

Third world counties are developing nuclear capabilities.

Sure we don't have the black plague but life ain't a walk in the rose garden.

[john70t]

The problem is also that so many are living beyond their means, and way beyond their needs. Everyone seems to think 6k sq hpuses are the norm, and wonder why their education and pension budget is gone.

But with the new wave of low-skilled workers, kiss that paper route and work ethic bye-bye. Spoon-fed entertainment addiction will be the nail.

[scottmandue]

And Israel is going to war.

And we have more STD's than you can shake a stick at, some will stay with you forever, some that will kill you.

More people seem to be dieing of cancer.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Life is, on the average, getting easier and easier for people in the US.

When there's no day-to-day struggle just to survive, humans tend to start doing dangerous things like thinking. That leads to depression.

I guarantee Alley-Oop the caveman never thought to himself, "life's so depressing, I'll just throw myself in front of a sabretooth and end it all."

In the end we really are just animals with overdeveloped brains.

[Joeaksa]

Ok, I agree. When should I get it over with and just kill myself?

[cool_chick]

I had made this mental note after the bankruptcy bill was passed...

Due to things like no exemptions for identity theft and the like, and due to the fact that well over 1/2 are due to medical bills, and considering the elderly had a large percentage of bankruptcies due to these reasons, prior to the bill being passed, I did make a mental note as I was wondering if the suicide rate would increase (act of desparation).

Just a thought, was just something that crossed my mind.

Has anyone heard of any metrics pre- and post-bankruptcy reform implementation?

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by cool_chick
I had made this mental note after the bankruptcy bill was passed...

Due to things like no exemptions for identity theft and the like, and due to the fact that well over 1/2 are due to medical bills, and considering the elderly had a large percentage of bankruptcies due to these reasons, prior to the bill being passed, I did make a mental note as I was wondering if the suicide rate would increase (act of desparation).

Just a thought, was just something that crossed my mind.

Has anyone heard of any metrics pre- and post-bankruptcy reform implementation?

The new BK laws do not make it harder to file BK for people that are actually broke. It is still VERY easy to file BK. The main difference is that there is a longer look-back period and you must attend counseling. They were trying to go after spending sprees just prior to filing.

Also, people above the mean income level for their state cannot write off as much debt. (yes I know there were other changes, but they are minor)

My wifes aunt is going BK right now and she doesn't really have to.....yet no problems. No boogie man.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
Ok, I agree. When should I get it over with and just kill myself?

How much eighteen year old scotch do you have to drink to kill yourself?

I'm not ready to kill myself... I'm just sayin when I was growing up chances were I would not have to go to war, when I became an adult it was likely I would be able to buy a house, and if I got VD a shot could take care of it.

[Joeaksa]

Scott,

Was planning on using 20 year olds to kill myself, girls that is. Figured after having an orgy with 5-6 of them, after some some rib eye steaks and baked taters, margarita's and 2-3 little blue pills that we would commence working on my death sentenance. After several hours in this mode someone would probably die and figured it might be me but you never know.

If I did not die this way then guess its not meant to happen and would have to be back working on Monday! Would probably have difficulity wiping the smile off of my face though!

[Tobra]

Death by SNU SNU does not count as suicide.

A lto of the stats are misleading. People are living longer, and you tend to get cancer as you age, longer exposure to free radicals is what some guess. We are better able to identify cancers now too, so people in the past who would have been chalked up to "natural causes" end up with the cancer box checked.

People are getting to be pretty darn lazy. If we had a situation like happened in 1929, I don't know if we have enough people with the right stuff to come through it.

Personally I cannot imagine getting despondent enough to off myself. Not afraid to do so, just can't imagine being sad enough

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
Really? In the sixties there weren't STDs? In the 1980s AIDS was a death sentence. Nowadays, the drug cocktails are helping AIDS patients live long, semi-normal lives. Is this not a huge improvement over the past?

-Wayne

We have only one new STD on the scene. Always had Herpes which stays with you forever but now there are medications that take care of that. Interesting fact is that if you have had more than 10 sexual partners you probably HAVE been exposed to Herpes. Just because you have been exposed to it does not mean that you are effected by it or can pass it along to anyone. Ever have a cold sore? Its the same thing but "above the belt" version of Herpes.

The worst one is a new strain of the clap that is going around the Far East and Africa. Usually this is cured by a shot or three and some pills but this strain is resistant to medication.

Some guys cannot keep their johnson out of the scuzzies while in Bangkok but for me its just not worth it...

Yes, I did used to work in a crisis clinic...

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
lendaddy is 100% correct - don't let the pundits tell you otherwise. The new BK laws basically made it more difficult for people to skate away for free when they were high income earners. It made credit counseling required. In general, the new laws are a good thing...

-Wayne

The only things that bothered me regarding the bill were the following clauses that were voted out: identity theft, no exemption of max $75,000 value of house for the elderly, and out-of-work due to medical reasons clauses....

That, and of course, not closing that loophole for the super-rich.....

[GDSOB]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
Agreed. That makes people soft. When people get soft, then tend to complain about the little things more often.

How many buttheads are there in LA who complain when it rains. It's sunny about 340 days a year out here - just shut up and enjoy the rain, I know I do.



-Wayne

I liked the rain for achange of pace, and you can actually see the mountains for a couple days afterwards...

[Wrecked944]

You are all forgetting that suicide is often the result of an illness - specifically Clinical Depression. Having BTDT, I can report it is a disease that has little connection to politics and housing prices and bankruptcy laws,etc etc. Those things may well add stress to people already ill. But even if life is generally wonderful, if Clinical Depression is common, then suicide will be common as well.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by k911sc
it will be great in 08...

yes, another bush slam.

I feel sorry for the chump that takes over in '08 but dont worry no matter what happens it will be Clintons fault.

The economy cannot bear the spending spree and it will show in the next 2-4 years. Of course who ever is at the helm will be the bad guy.