Castro has resigned and Musharraf has been defeated but if you are of a certain age you may find an article in today's New York Times most eye-opening of all: The suicide rate in the U.S. for those 45 to 54 is up 20%, and for women in that group, up 31%: "Just why thousands of men and women have crossed the line between enduring life’s burdens and surrendering to them is a painful question for their loved ones. But for officials, it is a surprising and baffling public health mystery."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/us/19suicide.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
3 comments:
You are correct sir. This shocking statistic, which makes a grand statement and poses questions which are not even formulated yet, is evidence that the paradox of 24/7 news - all the time, misses something as paramount as this statistic. As a Counseling Psychologist who utilizes life stage progression as a foundational principle, underlying all circumstance and events, this "failure to resolve the "crisis" of midlife", is a determinant of immense consequence. Ok I need to go now, there's a Britney update I need to check out.
Try caring for an ill and stubborn elderly parent who militantly resists all treatments that would actually help them and won't lift a finger to help themselves.
Thoughts like this enter your mind in the middle of a desperate night when your laying in bed pondering what the hell to do: "if I pull this trigger now, then I won't be enabling their intransigence anymore and they're be forced to go into a nursing home where they'll get the care they require".
Many in the current generation of elderly grew up with a profound distrust of doctors, hospitals, and medical treatments. The Boomers, who are having to deal with their elderly parents now don't have such views of medicine, are better educated and have more faith in science and medical procedures.
We (Boomers) find it very hard to get our heads around the reaction of our parents. They're not logical, and sometimes intentionally do things to worsen their condition. This isn't easy to handle at all or to watch occur.
I'm not the least bit surprised that there was a suicide spike in this age range. Watching the "slow motion suicide" of a parent, when nothing you've tried works, is very disturbing.
I've stepped back from the chasm and have my head straight now about my parent's slo-mo suicide.. I'm sure others didn't make it and decided to pull the trigger instead.
Yes Purple, me too. My Father passed away last year and my Mom needs care beyond what she will accept, but I too have resigned myself to what I can do not what I can't, but only after as you said, much anguish, guilt and conflict. You mention this and it certainly is pertinent to successful resolution of midlife, because you and I become the parent and they are the three year old. But there is much, much more too. You do have to be committed, I admit, but really in the end, it's just more maturity and that's a big, big bummer because I hate it when it's not all about me all the time. (I really do) Plus, the culture doesn't want you to mature, the culture wants you have an Ipod, IPhone, plenty of porn and degenerate sexual behavior and play video games, all at the same time, while fantasizing about all the other things you need and being steeped in envy and resentment, so you will remain a slave to it. Well, it's been nice chatting with you, but I have to go do an activity for two hours which is entirely worthless and vapid, so I can remain part of the "culture", because if I don't then I will be alone. At the urging of the "culture" I gave up my family, God, prayer and all that stuff years ago, so I don't have anything else. Sometimes I wonder if that was such good information, but I can't change because I would have to admit I am wrong, which is prohibited by the 1st Commandment of "culture".
May the force be with you.
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