news - Middle-aged women drive rise in U.S. suicides

**perSue** · 10-21-2008, 09:25 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081021/...GYxvPZlUoDW7oF

what's your take on this??

**faw42077** · 10-21-2008, 09:39 AM

It's shocking but at the same time I don't doubt it. I think today for the middle age woman, esp ones with careers and families, there is alot of pressure. You have to do a great job at work, be the best mom, and the best wife, etc.

**Parksfamily5** · 10-21-2008, 09:53 AM

I agree with Faw. It is a shame that anyone has come to such a place in their life that they think this is their only or best option.

**rainbowgc** · 10-21-2008, 10:26 AM

Women in that age group are often left for a "trophy wife" Also past the age of 50 it is very hard to get hired for a job that pays close to a living wage. Add health problems and maybe no insurance and I can completely understand the rise. Women are in fact devalued after a certain age.

**Teresa T** · 10-21-2008, 12:55 PM

That is sad. I try to tell some of the young people I work with to get their education and make sure they can always take care of themselves BEFORE they get married and/or have kids. It does not seem what most are doing.

At 48, never married, no kids and an RN license, I realize how lucky I am.

Health care in the U.S. is a major issue. People without health insurance are at great risk. A lot of people say national health is so terrible but you don't see Canada and the European countries trying to get rid of it. Do you?

Sure the rich may come to the U.S. for health care and they can purchase private insurance in their own country but at least every person has health care, not just the very rich and the very poor like it seems here.

**cab54** · 10-21-2008, 06:05 PM

I read a different news article that explained part of it, in that---much more of the population IS middle aged, because of the baby boom. So the more middle aged women there are, the higher the percentage of suicides will be those women.

But you do see it every day. Older women are not valued.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-21-2008, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Teresa T

That is sad. I try to tell some of the young people I work with to get their education and make sure they can always take care of themselves BEFORE they get married and/or have kids. It does not seem what most are doing.

At 48, never married, no kids and an RN license, I realize how lucky I am.

Health care in the U.S. is a major issue. People without health insurance are at great risk. A lot of people say national health is so terrible but you don't see Canada and the European countries trying to get rid of it. Do you?

Sure the rich may come to the U.S. for health care and they can purchase private insurance in their own country but at least every person has health care, not just the very rich and the very poor like it seems here.

It's not like health care in the US is all that great, either. It's pretty appauling compared to how it is here. I've been through Medicaid and Tricare and the health system when I came to Canada and I can honestly tell you that anyone not supporting nationalized health care needs a lashing or two.