On the 1st of November 2008, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will be having their Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Tropical Park in the city of Miami, Florida. The Out of the Darkness Community Walk will take place at 9:00AM Miami Time.

The purpose of this walk is to address the problem of suicide in the United States. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a person commits suicide every 16 minutes which results in the loss of more than 31,000 lives, and 1 million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide has been known to be the forth leading cause of death among adults between the age of 18 to 65, the third leading cause of death in teens/young adults, and adults age 65 and over.

Risk Factors for Suicide

Psychiatric Disorders:

At least 90 percent of people who kill themselves have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric illnesses — such as major depression, bipolar depression, or some other depressive illness

Past History of Attempted Suicide:

Between 20 and 50 percent of people who kill themselves had previously attempted suicide. Those who have made serious suicide attempts are at a much higher risk for actually taking their lives.

Genetic Predisposition:

Family history of suicide, suicide attempts, depression or other psychiatric illness.

Neurotransmitters:

A clear relationship has been demonstrated between low concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid and an increased incidence of attempted and completed suicide in psychiatric patients.

Impulsivity:

Impulsive individuals are more apt to act on suicidal impulses.

Demographics:

Sex: Males are three to five times more likely to commit suicide than females.

Suicide can be prevented. While some suicides occur without any outward warning, most people who are suicidal do give warnings. Prevent the suicide of loved ones by learning to recognize the signs of someone at risk, taking those signs seriously.

Warning signs of suicide include:

Observable signs of serious depression:

Unrelenting low mood

Pessimism

Hopelessness

Desperation

Anxiety, psychic pain and inner tension

Withdrawal

Sleep problems

Increased alcohol and/or other drug use

Recent impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks Threatening suicide or expressing a strong wish to die Making a plan:

Giving away prized possessions

Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm Obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications Unexpected rage or anger

Those who are interested in taking a stand against suicide and in favour of living life to the fullest can find more information at http://outofthedarkness.org and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The following is the address:

American Association For Suicide Prevention

120 Wall Street 22nd Floor

New York New York 10005

1-888-AFSP [2377] X 23

Another place where people who are suicidal or have a friend or relative who is suicidal can go to is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline [in the USA] which is 1-800-273-TALK. Many people say that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I also say that life is terrible to be discarded. I invite people to say NO to Suicide and YES to Life.