Jennifer Cisney Ellers, M.A.
A spiritual battle takes place every day between light and dark, and suicide risk is a battleground. Studies show suicide is on the increase with attempts outnumbering completions. There are certain factors that increase someone’s risk for committing suicide, such as age, gender, marital status, race and ethnicity, and geographical region by state. Methods include firearms, suffocation, jumping from bridges and other high places, and walking or driving in front of a train. Mental illness, substance abuse, personality disorders, chronic or terminal medical conditions, a family or personal history, environmental factors, the contagion
effect, and access to lethal methods are all risk factors for suicide. Help is available through mental healthcare, positive connections, and the development of problem solving skills. Spiritual factors, such as the power of prayer, God, and the Holy Spirit, are available in equipping mental health professionals with the tools to help those at risk for suicide.