Why are US Border Patrol Agents Committing Suicide?

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  1. Mighty Mom profile image77
    Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

    Is it just me, or is this trend bizarre and suspicious?

    1. psycheskinner profile image82
      psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Link?  Suicides naturally occur in clusters, so it needs to be looked into but isn't necessarily something especially sinister.

      1. Wesman Todd Shaw profile image83
        Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Suicides DO come in groups sometimes.  This is a strange story.  It's not surprising at all that I'd never seen or heard of it in the wicked, corrupt MSM.

  2. Mighty Mom profile image77
    Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co … src=nl_fed

    Apparently I am NOT the only one who thinks this trend is disturbing.

  3. Mighty Mom profile image77
    Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

    For those who don't want to read the article all the way to the end, here are the statistics to put it in context:

    The rate of suicides nationally is about 12 per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Law enforcement rates are about 20 per 100,000, and the Border Patrol's pace has the agency hovering in the upper 20s to low 30s per 100,000.

  4. psycheskinner profile image82
    psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

    Of course it is disturbing, but bizarre, suspicious (what kind of suspicion exactly?) I don't see it.

    A rapidly growing workforce that has become a lot more boring with tighter borders, lots of young guys in the highest suicide risk bracket.

    Sad, but not inexplicable.

    Suicides do not occur at a steady rate.  So a cluster now is not more suspicious than a zero rate for 4 years.  It is just variation and the power of suggestion, plus usual tragic stresses and the tendency of young men not to seek help.

    Similar problems exist in the army, police and in medicine.

  5. The Smiling Man profile image53
    The Smiling Manposted 13 years ago

    It can be a tough job. Tensions are high. Lotta stress. Mix those things up, and that bottle of sleeping pill starts to look might fine.

  6. profile image49
    Proudmom_10posted 13 years ago

    This is all too sad and becoming unusually too common. Why is there not more help forum discussions for these wives or support groups to come to and be able to talk about these kinds of things? I feel there's a big gap from the agents who mistakingly take their work attitudes home to their wives and their wife not being able to handle it. Sadly from the last few suicides I've heard of, it's all happened relitively soon after an argument with their spouse. I'm sure there's plenty of couples dealing with the stress of everyday life and the added stress from such a high risk job. Where's the help for our heroes, and the women/men who care for these agents?!?

  7. Stump Parrish profile image60
    Stump Parrishposted 13 years ago

    MM, I believe part of this could be where most of these employees come from. I believe a high percentage are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Higher than usual rates of PTSD are common in these vets and this could explain the spike in suicides.

    1. profile image58
      C.J. Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Good answer. Jumping from one stressfull situation to another.

  8. Apepperson profile image61
    Apeppersonposted 13 years ago

    Some peeps believe not all were "suicide". Could be the Drug Cartel getting rid of some dead weight (no pun intended), or making "examples" of some agents. I find it hard to believe that they have that high of suicide rate just from their work.

    If anything, perhaps they do it because they're so frustrated with the lack of action from our Government to stop the flow of illegals...just sayin'

 
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