The rising suicide epidemic: 40,000 or 12.6 people per 100.000  population

Every year some 40,000 Americans and 800,000 people on earth commit suicide. The alarming rise of successful suicides – a good measure of progress in mental health – may have complex underlying reasons . Several serious psychiatric disorders - schizophrenia, depression posttraumatic stress disorder, substance addiction and chronic pain-are known to contribute to suicides.

Man-made interventions that may increase suicide

§  The war on psychiatrists and pain doctors have significantly shrunk the already limited number of physicians willing to treat people with mental illness and chronic pain.

§  Excessive burdensome policies limiting the number of doctors who are allowed to prescribe vital medications to combat pain and addiction (methadone, other opiates and buprenorphine).

§  Unscientific politically driven CDC campaign against opiates.

§  Psychosocial challenges and poverty.

§  Military engagements (the suicide rate among active-duty is higher than combat deaths).