Knowledge re: suicide and how we can help

ozoneranger · Feb 28, 2009

Nurses are four times more likely to commit suicide compared with people working outside medicine, figures reveal.

And doctors are twice as likely to kill themselves compared with people working in other professions.

Overwork, stress and easy access to drugs are being blamed for high suicide rates within medicine.

Staff shortages, long waiting lists and the stress of working with the sick and dying are seen as factors.

The figures coincide with the publication of a survey by Nursing Standard magazine that showed that more than two thirds of nurses who suffer from depression blame work for their condition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/944503.stm

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In 2000 I was working with a nurse that was such a wonderful lady. Her husband was lazy, mean & worthless. They were very deep in debt, thanks to his spending like there was no tomorrow. She felt trapped & alone. One morning she didn't show up for work, didn't answer the phone, so we had the police go to her home. She was found dead in her bed. No autopsy was ordered, it appeared she'd died in her sleep.

Weeks later, I found out from a neighbor that she'd cooked months worth of meals, then labeled & froze 'em. She'd left notes to her husband about bills that were due....she'd been planning for a very long time.

It was during that conversation that I remembered her telling me that if she ever decided to commit suicide, she'd take humulin R from work, inject it into her arm pit at bedtime & dispose of the syringe before her BGL bottomed out. That way her insurance would still pay & her hubby could get out of debt.

I still cry when I think of her, she told me exactly what she was going to do. I feel so stupid for not paying attention to what she'd told me.

Hind sight may be 20/20.

But foresight is priceless.

againmlg · Feb 28, 2009

Nurses are four times more likely to commit suicide compared with people working outside medicine, figures reveal.
And doctors are twice as likely to kill themselves compared with people working in other professions.
Overwork, stress and easy access to drugs are being blamed for high suicide rates within medicine.
Staff shortages, long waiting lists and the stress of working with the sick and dying are seen as factors.
The figures coincide with the publication of a survey by Nursing Standard magazine that showed that more than two thirds of nurses who suffer from depression blame work for their condition.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/944503.stm
*********************************************************
In 2000 I was working with a nurse that was such a wonderful lady. Her husband was lazy, mean & worthless. They were very deep in debt, thanks to his spending like there was no tomorrow. She felt trapped & alone. One morning she didn't show up for work, didn't answer the phone, so we had the police go to her home. She was found dead in her bed. No autopsy was ordered, it appeared she'd died in her sleep.
Weeks later, I found out from a neighbor that she'd cooked months worth of meals, then labeled & froze 'em. She'd left notes to her husband about bills that were due....she'd been planning for a very long time.
It was during that conversation that I remembered her telling me that if she ever decided to commit suicide, she'd take humulin R from work, inject it into her arm pit at bedtime & dispose of the syringe before her BGL bottomed out. That way her insurance would still pay & her hubby could get out of debt.
I still cry when I think of her, she told me exactly what she was going to do. I feel so stupid for not paying attention to what she'd told me.
Hind sight may be 20/20.
But foresight is priceless.

(((hugs)))That is so sad. I agree about 20/20 hindsight. At my last hospital a similar situation happened with a nurse. I didn't know her because she worked a different unit. It makes me very sad to repeat the details so I'll just say that I now stay on the look out for signs of suicidal thoughts. As a person who once went through a bad event and spiraled into depression I often recommend therapy. It helped me.

zumalong · Feb 28, 2009

If your life has been touched by death by suicide--please don't let the would haves, could haves, should haves take over. Hindsight is 20/20 for everything we do. The statistics are scary as heck and I am afraid they are only going to get worse as our economy becomes more and more deeper in debt. We all learn to live at the level of our income and if it is decreased or taken away--many don;t know what to do.

If there is anyone out there who wants to PM me or is in crisis--please dont hesitate to reach out. I dream that these statistics will get better one day.

emjay86 · Feb 28, 2009

oh! this is so sad..it's a very good thing that none of the nurses i've worked with so far ahsn't done anything like it. It's soo horrible. Though i must admit, i have one of them thoughts when i was still in college. It was really due to stress with OJT, requirements, skul work, exams..overloading..The bad thing was we were only being told that.."Isn't that what nursing is? Tiresome but rewarding in the end?" If thet instructor only knew the means they're giving us..I hate recalling it, though. Thanks to a very good friend. I came over it. So, it's wise to have quality friends. Be with them. People you can trust. I understand it's difficult to open up to our parents, somehow, friends are there. As long as, we should put into our mind that family's still the PILLAR and true source of inner strength and will to live and love :)

Babs0512 · Mar 1, 2009

Sometimes, there are no warning signs.

Our son committed suicide on February 23, 2004. He was 22 years old. He chose to hang himself from his weight equipment, he was in a sitting position with his bottom about an inch from the floor.

The night before, he called to tell us he was going to ask his longtime girlfriend to marry him - but he never got to do so, he killed himself before he got to ask.

We've all played the woulda, shoulda, coulda game - which serves no purpose whatsoever - there will always be things we could have done differently, if only we had known.

Just know that their are people who kill themselves with NO warning - even looking back, no one in the family suspected a thing.

Thanks for listening

Babs

lifecycle1898 · Mar 1, 2009

Stumbled on this site...http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

“Suicide is not chosen; it happens

when pain exceeds

resources for coping with pain.”

ozoneranger · Mar 1, 2009

This is an excellent resource for children affected by suicide or the death of a loved one.

http://www.judishouse.org/

My father committed suicide on my ninth birthday. I spent years believing he picked my birthday as a way of telling me it was my fault.... :cry:

lifecycle1898 · Mar 2, 2009

If you apply logic to that idea Ozoneranger it should fall apart.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 2, 2009

our thread suicide + mental health resources has resources and info for our members.