Why Do They Jump? Those that Commit Suicide by Jumping from a Bridge
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Who Would Climb Over The Side Of A Bridge?
Many commit suicide from jumping off a bridge every year. From the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937 there have been over 1,400 suicides by people jumping. The Aurora Bridge in Seattle, Washington, open to the public in 1932, has seen over 200 suicides. The Coronado Bridge in California, Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida, the Cold Spring Canyon Bridge in Santa Barbara County have all been platforms used to jump from.
Why? Why would anyone choose such a horrible death? Suicide by jumping from a bridge is unbelievably gruesome. Death is almost certain. Impact is tremendous. The body travels from 80 mph to 0 mph in a nanosecond, with the internal organs continuing to travel, with the force of impact causing them to tear loose. Skulls are fractured, sternums, clavicles, pelvises and necks are broken. Ribs are broken with the impact shoving them into the heart or lungs. Upon impact, hearts, livers, aeortas and spleens are lacerated. The jumper is sometimes killed on impact, other times they are knocked unconscious, other times they succumb to internal bleeding and some plunge so far into the icy water they cannot find their way to air, they suck in sea water and drown. Death can take seconds and sometimes minutes. This is agonizing to even think of.
Why would anyone take their own life like this? What drove them to do this? They have taken their own lives in this painful way due to financial reasons, drugs. broken relationships, bullying and mental disabilities. Mental disabilities such as Bi-Polar disorder,Schizo-Affective and Manic-Depression. Most who suffer from these debilitating disorders have no idea what is happening to them. They hear voices in their head, suffer from paranoia, they don't understand what is happening to them, they don't know why they feel this way. Before they can get help or medication to stabilize the symptoms, they need to understand what is happening and that they need help. Often, they try to end the symptoms through suicide. In their minds, that is the only escape.
If we don't know they need help, we can't help them. Often due to paranoia, embarrassment or whatever reason, they don't tell anyone what they are going through. If we don't know, we can't help. We don't know until they are gone.
How can we keep them from jumping before we can seek help for them?
In Memory of Matthew Whitmer
Mental Illness and Suicide
The Bridge - Suicide From the Golden Gate Bridge
- The Bridge - Suicide and the Golden Gate Bridge
Rich,poor,young and old. Executives,students,pastors and housewives. They all have one thing in common, they all took their own lives by jumping from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This is their story........
Where is the Suicide Barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge?
- WHERE IS THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE SUICIDE BARRIER?
There have been over 1,400 deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge by suicide to date. A long awaited safety net could be the answer. $4 million dollars and five years later, an extensive study was performed. The safety net was approved, $5 million allott
The Bridge - the movie
Golden Gate Bridge Suicides
Bridge Rail Foundation
- Additional Research
The Bridge Rail Foundation has one simple goal - stop the suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge.
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If you watch the movie the Bridge they did a documentary on this, and tried to explain it! We watched in one of my classes at college to get my degree. Don't think there is a simple answer. Many have mental disorders, and choose it as a way out, unless someone is lucky enough to stop them, but sometimes they return there. :(
wisdom25 Level 3 Commenter 2 weeks ago
The impact when your body hits the ground after jumping off the bridge sounds like its painful. It's crazy because you may see someone that don't look depress and look happy and still kill themselves.