Paper Hearts
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A SAFE self-help site for victims of self-harm and suicide.
Suicide
About Suicide
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Suicide, the act of taking one's own life, a very touchy subject for many people. For those who know someone who committed suicide, it can leave you with a sense of helplessness, confusion, and fear. Suicide has been called "a permanent solution to a temporary problem."
Statistics
- Suicide is one of the 3 leading causes of death, especially in those who are in their teenage or college years.
- In almost every case of suicide, there is an underlying health disorder (such as depression, anxiety, drug abuse, etc.)
- Suicide rates all around the world have increased 60% in the past 50 years.
- Girls are more likely to attempt suicide than boys.
Statistics courtesy of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
​Forms of Suicide
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- Shooting oneself
- Overdosing on pills or other medicine
- Suffocation
- Poisoning
- Drowning oneself
- Purposefully falling from high places
- Hanging oneself
- Driving into a barrier at high speed
- Electric shock​
- Slitting of the wrists
Causes
Untreated depression is the number one cause of most suicide cases. This depression could be due to a traumatic experience such as physical abuse, harassment, or the loss of a loved one. Depression could also be genetic.

Other causes of suicide include alcohol and drug abuse, overwhelming stress, mental illness, and severe or chronic pain, which is more common among elderly victims.
