It is important to have a strong network of interpersonal support that may include friends, family and, in many cases, a professional mental health counselor.
By Neal B. Schofield, M.D. Princeton HealthCare System
It was Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, who called love and work the cornerstones of our humanity.
It’s no wonder, then, that with today’s shrinking economy and rising jobless rates, Americans seem to be experiencing higher levels of stress and depression. In some cases, these are leading people to commit suicide.
Look no further than the couple in California who just last month shot and killed their five children before taking their own lives. According to news reports, both parents had recently lost their jobs and were struggling with mounting debt.
Unfortunately, anecdotes like this are becoming more common as an increasing number of people are being laid off, watching their investments plummet and wondering how they are going to pay the bills. These types of setbacks are enough to push some people over the edge, especially if they are already dealing with an existing mental health condition. Even in good economic times, research indicates that 1 in 4 people will experience a depressive episode sometime in their life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide accounted for an estimated 32,000 deaths in the United States in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Additionally, a study published in the fall of 2008 showed that the rate of suicide between 1999 and 2005 rose for the first time in more than a decade, with the biggest increase attributed to middle-aged men.
While the exact reasons for the increase are unknown, researchers and mental health professionals are concerned that if the economy continues its downward slide, the rate of suicide will continue to rise. Many point to the Great Depression, when suicide rates rose from 14 percent to 17 percent per 100,000 people, as an example.
Moreover, more Americans than ever are calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Between September 2007 and September 2008, the Lifeline received nearly 500,000 calls, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Seeking help, whether through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) or your local mental health care provider, is the first step in preventing suicide and addressing conditions like depression and anxiety.
For people who are feeling the impact of this recession and may have lost their jobs or are facing foreclosure or other financial hurdles, it is important to have a strong network of interpersonal support that may include friends, family and, in many cases, a professional mental health counselor. They should also be sure to take advantage of any job counseling that is available.
It’s also important to continue taking care of yourself even on your worst days. Get enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Avoid turning to alcohol or drugs to escape. Exercise.
Even if you don’t have a job, try to budget and make good use of your time. Take time to engage in activities that are pleasurable to you. Whether it’s reading a book or taking a walk, it is critical that you don’t sacrifice everything you love during these tough times.
To avoid isolation, many people will turn to social groups through their church, synagogue or other religious organizations. Others have found that volunteering and helping someone else makes them feel less helpless.
Financial problems also take a toll on relationships, including friendships and marriages, Often people find out who their true friends are. The best approach to addressing your situation with friends and family is to be honest and straightforward. Tell your loved ones if you are frustrated that you can’t provide for them as you have in the past. Tell your friends if you are sad you can’t join them for dinner out like you used to. Where there is real friendship and love, your honesty will be appreciated.
For couples, taking one day at a time will help you get through problems that would be overwhelming if you tried to tackle them all at once. Focus on things that can’t be taken away from you, such as your love for each other and your children and memories of better times.
If you know someone who is experiencing hardship, take the time to ask him or her how he or she is coping. If you sense desperation, suggest professional help or seek help for them. Intervention is an act of love.
Our emotional health is in part based on a basic trust that if we do everything right — work hard, save money, be kind and honest — then good things will happen. When that trust is broken, as it has been for many people today, it makes people more prone to anxiety and depression. We all, however, must remember that we have to survive our circumstances if we are to deal with them.
Most of emotional survival is perseverance. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The economy will get better, but if you take your own life, you won’t.
For assistance finding a mental health professional, call Princeton House Behavioral Health 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-242-2550 or visit www.princetonhcs.org/ princetonhouse.
Dr. Neal B. Schofield is medical director of inpatient services at Princeton House Behavioral Health and vice chairman of the department of psychiatry for Princeton HealthCare System. Princeton House Behavioral Health is a unit of Princeton HealthCare System, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare.

