Suicide attempt in the context of "Suicide"

Gender differences in suicide include different rates of suicides and suicidal behavior between males and females, among both adults and adolescents. While females more often have suicidal thoughts, males die by suicide more frequently. This discrepancy is known as the gender paradox in suicide.

Globally, death by suicide occurred about 1.8 times more often among males than among females in 2008, and 1.7 times in 2015. In the Western world, males die by suicide three to four times more often than do females. This greater male frequency is increased in those over the age of 65. Suicide attempts are between two and four times more frequent among females. Researchers have partly attributed the difference between suicide and attempted suicide among the sexes to males using more lethal means to end their lives. Other reasons, including disparities in the strength or genuineness of suicidal thoughts, have also been given.

Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and of abnormally elevated mood that each last from days to weeks, and in some cases months. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with psychosis, it is called mania; if it does not significantly affect functioning, it is called hypomania. During mania, an individual behaves or feels abnormally energetic, happy, or irritable, and often makes impulsive decisions with little regard for the consequences. There is usually sleep disturbance during manic phases. During periods of depression, the individual may experience crying, have a negative outlook, and demonstrate poor eye contact. Over a period of 20 years, 6% of those with BD died by suicide, with about one-third attempting suicide in their lifetime. Among those with BD, 40–50% overall and 78% of adolescents engaged in self-harm.

While the causes of this mood disorder are not clearly understood, genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role. Genetic factors may account for up to 70–90% of the risk of developing BD. Environmental risks include a history of child abuse and long-term stress. The condition is classified as bipolar I disorder if there has been at least one manic episode, with or without depressive episodes, and as bipolar II disorder if there has been at least one hypomanic episode (but no full manic episodes) and one major depressive episode. It is classified as cyclothymia if there are hypomanic episodes with periods of depression that do not meet the criteria for major depressive episodes.If these symptoms are due to drugs or medical problems, they are not diagnosed as BD.

Ethylene glycol poisoning is poisoning caused by drinking ethylene glycol. Early symptoms include intoxication, vomiting and abdominal pain. Later symptoms may include a decreased level of consciousness, headache, and seizures. Long term outcomes may include kidney failure and brain damage. Toxicity and death may occur after drinking even in a small amount as ethylene glycol is more toxic than other diols.

Ethylene glycol is a colorless, odorless, sweet liquid, commonly found in antifreeze. It may be drunk accidentally or intentionally in a suicide attempt. When broken down by the body it results in glycolic acid and oxalic acid which cause most of the toxicity. The diagnosis may be suspected when calcium oxalate crystals are seen in the urine or when acidosis or an increased osmol gap is present in the blood. Diagnosis may be confirmed by measuring ethylene glycol levels in the blood; however, many hospitals do not have the ability to perform this test.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known in some contexts as dysmorphophobia or dysmorphia, is a mental disorder defined by an overwhelming preoccupation with a perceived flaw in one's physical appearance. In BDD's delusional variant, the flaw is imagined. When an actual visible difference exists, its importance is disproportionately magnified in the mind of the individual. Whether the physical issue is real or imagined, ruminations concerning this perceived defect become pervasive and intrusive, consuming substantial mental bandwidth for extended periods each day. This excessive preoccupation induces severe emotional distress and also disrupts daily functioning and activities. The DSM-5 places BDD within the obsessive–compulsive spectrum, distinguishing it from disorders such as anorexia nervosa.

BDD is estimated to affect from 0.7% to 2.4% of the population. It usually starts during adolescence and affects both men and women. The BDD subtype muscle dysmorphia, perceiving the body as too small, affects mostly men. In addition to thinking about it, the sufferer typically checks and compares the perceived flaw repetitively and can adopt unusual routines to avoid social contact that exposes it. Fearing the stigma of vanity, they usually hide this preoccupation. Commonly overlooked even by psychiatrists, BDD has been underdiagnosed. As the disorder severely impairs quality of life due to educational and occupational dysfunction and social isolation, those experiencing BDD tend to have high rates of suicidal thoughts and may attempt suicide.

William "Willy" Loman is a fictional character and the protagonist of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, which debuted on Broadway with Lee J. Cobb playing Loman at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949. Loman is a 63-year-old travelling salesman from Brooklyn with 34 years of experience with the same company who endures a pay cut and a firing during the play. He has difficulty dealing with his current state and has created a fantasy world to cope with his situation. This does not keep him from multiple suicide attempts.

He is the central character in a play that has won the Tony Award for Best Broadway Production four times. People playing the role have earned many significant accolades for acting including Golden Globe Award, Olivier Award, Tony Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Drama Desk Awards and many award nominations.