Suicides Surge as Financial Crisis Worsens

By Tana Ganeva, AlterNet. Posted February 6, 2009.

Alan 8 puts the blame on the Bush Administration, but does not let Democrats off the hook:

These people are yet more victims of the Bush Administration, which represented the interests of the wealthy. Economic violence can be as devastating as physical violence.

Which is why we shouldn't forget that the Democrats let the whole Republican agenda just happen over the last eight years. It only takes one senator to filibuster.

photon's feather agrees that Democrats are "indeed beholden to the same corporate interests as are the Republicans" and wonders why many commenters don't put as much blame on them: "Why do you refer to it as the Republican agenda?"

Cybershaman replies that the GOP is more responsible for the current crisis than Democrats:

 ... even though the Democrats jumped on the bandwagon and went for the easy buck too, it was the GOP who planted the seeds with Reagan's deregulation frenzy. The white collar criminals were given free reign to game the system.

Besides, who were the people who predicted this outcome (progressives), and who are the ones who promoted and now defend this paradigm (conservatives). Democrats have conservatives in their ranks, do Republicans have progressives? Will they even allow progressives in their ranks? I think the Justice department shenanigans proves they don't.

Hagwind takes a different tack, disputing the data behind Turse's argument:

Sorry, a string of sad stories from around the country doesn't add up to "Financial Crisis Driving Hordes to Suicide." Neither does a shrink reporting an increase in suicidal businessman patients. Hard, cold statistics are so often misused and misinterpreted that it's easy to forget that sometimes they're useful. They would be useful in this story. Instead we get stuff like "an unknown but rising number." Go ahead, report the stories; they're important clues to what's going on in the country. But if you want to argue that this is an alarming trend, I want to see some evidence.

But and_abottleofrum disagrees, pointing out that the suicide statistics are just beginning to trickle in, and furthermore are likely being underreported in the mainstream media:

It'll take at least a year for official numbers to come in. But I know a person who's been suicidal in the last month after losing a job: my own brother. My brother ran into a street three weeks ago and yelled at cars to kill him. He was morose and desperate after being laid off and I was trying to take him to a downtown clinic for the poor at the time. After pulling him out of the street I convinced him to come with me to a hospital, took him to the emergency room, and he was hospitalized for three days.

For me this article rings true, and mainstream media will be squeamish about reporting on suicide rates during this economic collapse until official numbers come in, which will be a long way off.

2dogarage agrees:

1/28/09 L.A. Man kills wife, 5 kids, himself Job loss at hospital blamed in letter faxed to TV station before fatal shootings...I wonder how many examples it takes to make an alarming trend for you? ... Things are just beginning to melt down.

gazooks also points out that things will likely get worse before they get better, and that everyone must pitch in and help the most unfortunate:

... that the cause and effects of growing desperation is just getting started and will be with us for a generation.

It's easily apparent that economic stresses can lead to tragic acts. And only if we're aware of the breadth of a trend can we help those who are personally close to us that are in trouble. We all know someone on the brink.

...

The desolation of those suicidal is absolute as is the horror of violence towards those that they take with them. It isn't a cowards end; it's an expression of utter hopelessness.

We have some very tough times ahead and would do well to consider community and as compassionate and generous a course of action towards all those impacted as we can.

See more stories tagged with: bush, obama, suicide, depression, bailout, financial crisis, mainstreet

Tana Ganeva is an editorial assistant at AlterNet.

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