Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator

Tag Archives: The New York Times

20,000 GUN SUICIDES EVERY YEAR

December 24th, 2015

In a letter posted on the Brady Center & Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, President Dan Gross said, “There are 20,000 gun suicides in the United States every year, more than 50 every single day. That’s more than half of all suicides and two-thirds of all gun deaths. These tragedies rarely make the news, or prompt action from our lawmakers, but they add up to a national tragedy of staggering proportions.”

35054347_sThe Brady Center released a study in September 2015 that examined the danger of having a gun in the home and its strong link to suicide. The study found that the impulsivity of many suicide attempts, and the fact that, even more than depression or substance abuse, the strongest predictor of how likely a person is to die from suicide is a gun in the home. According to the study, a gun in the home makes a suicide three times more likely.

I have written some blogs on gun violence mostly related to mass shootings. But, with all the debate that the mass shootings sparked, sadly the discussion never included guns and their role in suicide. I applaud the Brady Center for raising awareness about this important issue. Sadly, so many parents, spouses and others who choose to have a gun in their home do not realize how tragically that decision can impact their lives until it is too late.
Here are some key facts from the study:

  • The firearm suicide rate has increased more than 13 percent between 2007 and 2013
  • Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults aged 10 to 24 years
  • 85 to 91 percent of firearm suicide attempts are fatal, while drug overdose, is only fatal 2 percent of the time. This is a startling fact since the study points out that 92 percent of those who fail in a suicide attempt choose to embrace life and generally do not die by suicide.

The New York Times ran an editorial in September when the study was released. I liked what they said, “The suicide problem is enormously complicated without irresponsible access to guns. At a minimum, people who own guns should be required to keep them firmly under lock for the safety of society, let alone their own families.”

I agree that much more discussion and awareness needs to happen around the link between guns and suicide. The Brady Center is pushing for that happen. So check out the study, share the link and help the discussion to grow!

LINKS
The Truth About Suicide & Guns
Cayman’s Story
Full Report “The Truth About Suicide & Guns
The New York Times “The Quieter Gun Death”

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

NEW REGULATIONS ON DISPENSING HYDROCODONE. WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

August 25th, 2014

In Move to Curb Drug Abuse, D.E.A. Tightens Rule on Widely Prescribed Painkiller — The stricter rule for hydrocodone, which is the most widely prescribed painkiller in the United States and which is an ingredient in drugs like Vicodin, is one of the most far-reaching efforts to stop the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse. More than 20,000 Americans die every year because of prescription drug abuse, according to federal data.  The New York Times

 

On Friday, the federal government tightened the regulations on the most prescribed painkiller in America, hydrocodone. The reason? Hydrocodone is an ingredient in drugs like Vicodin and a leader in the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse here in the United States.

As a psychiatrist treating adults and teens for over 30 years, I know that painkillers like Vicodin are highly addictive and are adding to a growing heroin addiction in this country.

As far as hydrocodone, the changes that the government requires are sweeping, making it much more difficult to prescribe the drug. For this drug, doctors will no longer be able to call in prescriptions, and patients will no longer be able to get refills on the same prescription without returning to their doctor for a visit. The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) published a rule on Thursday, August 21, 2014, which also requires pharmacies to keep the drug in a vault.

The problem is that the abuse of painkillers claims more lives than any other drug including heroin and cocaine combined, and hydrocodone and other painkillers are the leading cause of heroin addiction. The heroin addiction is out of control, and I have written several blogs about it and the need for more education about the epidemic. See my blogs on heroin Governor Cuomo Recognizes Heroin Epidemic and The Growing Heroin Problem in America.

These new restrictions are not a solution to the problem, but they do acknowledge the need to do something. Oxycodone, the main ingredient in OxyContin, which I am sure many of you have heard about, is highly addictive and has been restricted for years.

The downside of restricting all of these drugs is that it will most likely lead to an increase in heroin abuse. Why? Because synthetic heroin is cheap. The reality is that it is good to be aware of the need for restricting medications like hydrocodone, but we need to also be vigilant about educating our teens and young adults, the most affected population, about the dangers of these drugs and heroin.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.