Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Just Old Enough...But Not Too Old

The sun was shining a bit today after several days of rain helped my lawn perk up a bit; naturally, I was in the mood for some good news. I just didn't expect that news to come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The news, though, is heartening...I have a few more good years left!
According to statistics compiled by the center, middle-aged suicides led the list of groups who most ended their own lives in 2007. In fact, that was the second year in a row that people in this country aged 45-54 led all groups in the do-itself-in contest. Usually, the "leaders" in that particular category are over the age of 80. This bodes well for my immediate future: I have passed the most dangerous age range and have many years to go before hitting the next one! Here are the latest statistics:
During 2007, the most recent year for which the statistics have been tabulated, the suicide rates were highest for the aforementioned 45-54 age group with 17.6 people per 100,000 doing themselves in. Next was the 75-84 year-olds who offed themselves at a rate of 16.4 per 100,000; Next up was the 35-44 age cohort, pushing up their own daisies at a rate of 16.3 per 100,000 individuals. Why the upswing for boomers?
It seems that, in addition to a greater rate of depression, there is also a trend of easier access to weapons (thank you, NRA) and prescription drugs, and problems most often associated with suicides tend to be related to health, jobs, relationships and finance (you think?) Gee, I would never have guessed.
Also in stating the obvious, men have a higher rate of violent self-induced death than women, often favoring guns, and 90% of those who commit crimes against their person are adjudged to have a mental disease.
Finally, Alaska Native Americans, non-Hispanic whites and veterans seem to have a greater chance of giving in to the urge to do away with themselves, as more than half of the 50,000 deaths from violence-related injuries are of the suicide variety.
So, you can see why I am relieved...other than what might be a slight mental illness, I belong to none of these groups that is at risk.
That means I'll have my 15-year mortgage paid off!

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