Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Zaylie Olsen
English 2010
21 October, 2018
Ninety percent of people who die suffer from a diagnosable mental illness or substance
abuse (12). Depression and suicide are not only a mental health issue, but has become a public
health issue over time. The reason being that depression and suicide is a debilitating and chronic
disease that causes a financial burden on those suffering due to their inability to work and
provide a stable source of income. One out of every eight Americans experience some form of
depression during their lifetime (3). If an estimated 788,000 people died due to suicide (5),
imagine how high the number of those who attempted is. Through careful study, it has been
found that suicide and depression are not as transparent as they may seem at first glance, but that
there are many contributing factors to this restricting disability. This paper will discuss the
arguments from country to country, men and women, as well as what the brain and genetics do in
I asked some close friends and family if they believe that suicide and depression have a
greater effect on people in developed countries. They said yes, but there is evidence to suggest
the opposite, as well as the belief that the strongest predictor of suicide being different in
developing countries than in developed ones. The Webster dictionary definition of predictor is;
“a person or thing that predicts that something will happen in the future or will be a consequence
suicidal. According to PLOS medicine, developed countries are more predictive while
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developing countries are less predictive (Nock et al). Nock and his colleagues believe that they
know the strongest predictors of suicide, which according to them in advanced countries is very
different than countries who are still developing (Nock et al). PLOS Medicine also declared that
“only disorders characterized by anxiety, and poor impulse control predict that these people are
more likely to attempt” (Nock et al). Therefore saying that anxiety and poor impulse control
mean that people are more likely to attempt suicide and have depression. PLOS Medicine states
that even though studies have suggested that mental disorders are “strong predictors of suicide
ideation, they are not as useful when predicting those who attempt suicide” ( Nock et al). The
VSG (Victoria State Government) agrees with PLOS about depression being a leading cause of
suicide (3).
This contrasts the expressed opinion of the BMJ (British Medical Journal) who declares
that “the time from the onset of the disorder to the completed suicide varies according to the
subtypes of the disorder” (Långström et al). According to the BMJ mood disorders are the most
frequent predictors of suicide (Långström et al). The BMJ also stated that according to the
statistics of some figures, suicide is a rare event in high risk groups of people who have
attempted (Långström et al).The BMJ also says that suicide varies with co-existing mental
disorders and is less likely in depressive disorders (Långström et al). In agreement with the BMJ,
WHO (World Health Organization) says that low to middle income countries are more predictive
of suicide (5). Unlike PLOS, BMJ, and WHO, Spencer-Thomas believes that in order for there to
be a difference, we don’t need to focus on specific groups who suffer from suicide and
depression (Spencer-Thomas). There are many reasons why suicide takes place, such as bullying,
the death of a loved one, mental illness, and so on, but the reason varies from country to country
and how refined their society is, as well as the varying differences in the predictors of suicide.
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People disagree on the factors that predict suicide and they are of high importance when
trying to get a diagnosis from a GP (general practitioner). In the opinion of the Medical Journal
of Australia, GP’s are often the initial contact someone has with professional help (Rickwood
and Wilson). The MJA also believe that GP’s need to improve their ability to recognize mental
disorders like depression in people (Rickwood and Wilson 11). Aaron T. Beck and Alice
Beamesderfer who wrote Assessment of Depression: The Depression Inventory agree with the
MJA that depression and suicidal thoughts are harder to diagnose than other mental disorders (2).
However, according to the National Institution of Mental Health, we need to get newer, more
While it is commonly thought that both sexes are equally prone to suicide and depression,
according to the National Institute of Mental Health, women with a chronic illness, disability, are
lonely, or suffer from insomnia are at higher risk of suffering from depression than men (8).
Other factors for both sexes that are a higher cause of depression are; family history of
depression, taking certain medications, diagnosis of a brain disease, stressful life events, and
drug or alcohol misuse (8). According to a booklet written by the National Institute of Mental
Health, it is true that more women attempt suicide, but men tend to be more “successful” in their
attempts due to hormonal, biological, and psychosocial factors that are distinctive to women. (4).
The booklet also says that the symptoms of depression tend to affect women differently than men
(4). Women tend to have symptoms on the emotional side of depression, such as sadness,
culpability, and inadequacy (4). While men are more likely to be irritable, tired, and lose interest
in things that they once found interesting (4). Although suicide affects men and women
differently, and there is a significant gap in the statistics of who die, suicide is still a big problem
in today’s society.
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There has been some research into depression and suicide and the findings of some of
this research has some people believing that depression and suicide is genetic. Doctors Autry and
Monteggia from the department of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwest Medical
Center created an article entitled “Epigenetics in Suicide and Depression” have concluded
through extensive research that the receptor for the brain that derived the neurotrophic factor has
linked alterations to the epigenetic processes in suicide (Autry and Monteggia). The part of our
brain derived from the proteins that are responsible for function, development, and survival
area’s linked to the changes of gene expression. They also state that there is a repressed gene
expression that has the consequence of depression (Autry and Monteggia). In agreement with
Autry and Monteggia, the National Institute of Mental Health says that genetics, chemistry, and
biology of the brain also play a part in depression (4). However, Peterson believes that suicide
risk and depression is associated with decreased serotonin levels in the brain (Peterson). He also
mentions that the consumption of antidepressants causes serotonin to decrease even further and
this steeper drop in serotonin causes a further risk of suicide (Peterson). Although some believe
that depression and furthermore suicide are just a mental health disorder, there is scientific
Overall it may be said that suicide is more than a mental health disorder that affects
millions of people worldwide. Through attentive scrutiny, it has been established that depression
and suicide are not as palpable as they may seem upon the first glimpse, but that there are
countless causes for this disease. Over the course of this paper, we have discussed the multiple
contributions to suicide and depression. Some of these causes vary from country to country and
their development, while others are as simple as the differences between men and women. Then
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you have to think about the brain’s role in depression as well as the genetics, and how hard it can
Works Cited
Autry, Anita E., and Lisa M. Monteggia. “Epigenetics in Suicide and Depression.”
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2770810/.
Beck, Aaron T., and Alice Beamesderfer. “Assessment of Depression: The Depression
www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/395074.
Department of Health & Human Services. “Suicide and Mental Illness.” Better Health
“Depression: What You Need to Know.” National Institute of Mental Health, 2015, pp.
4–7.
“ Global and Regional Estimates of Health Loss.” Depression and Other Common Mental
Långström, Niklas, et al. “Risk of Suicide after Suicide Attempt According to Coexisting
Psychiatric Disorder: Swedish Cohort Study with Long Term Follow-Up.” The BMJ,
Nock, Matthew K., et al. “Cross-National Analysis of the Associations among Mental
Disorders and Suicidal Behavior: Findings from the WHO World Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/older-adults-and-depression/index.shtml
Peterson, Michael J. “How to Get Rid of Suicidal Thoughts: Suicide Signs & Prevention.”
www.emedicinehealth.com/suicidal_thoughts/article_em.htm.
“Predicting Suicide Attempts and Suicide Deaths Using Electronic Health Records.”
National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
12 July 2018,
www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2018/predicting-suicide-attempts-and-suicide-d
eaths-using-electronic-health-records.shtml.
Rickwood, Debra J, and Coralie J Wilson. “When and How Do Young People Seek
PSYCHIATRY, edited by Frank P Deane , Volume 187 , 2007, pp. S35–S37. Number 7.
https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/187_07_011007/ric10279_fm.pdf
Spencer-Thomas, Sally. “Facebook Twitter Social Justice Tipping Point: Advocating for