MSI Press Blog

  AGING AND FREEDOM “My actions are my only true belongings…. My actions are the ground on which I stand.” --Anguttara Sutta 5:57   I recently vacationed with an old friend. Our friendship is old. For fifty years we have golfed together. He is also old in years, 89, to be exact. During our time together at his condo, we played golf. As a natural athlete, Ray could still hit the ball well. Yet, after each shot, he asked, “Where’d it go?” I yelled and pointed, but he did not hear. “Do you have your ear plugs in, Ray?” I asked. That was our ritual. Ray had his own cart and walked slowly and carefully, to avoid falling. His arms and legs were purple, from banging into things. His paper-thin skin bruised and bled at the slightest touch. He often complained of his back and legs being sore. So he titrated his moving about according to his pain level. While not playing golf, Ray spent his time praying, reading, and writing. Sitting in his chair, he would often fall asleep an...

We often think of suicide as the final act of despair — a collapse into hopelessness, a quiet surrender. But sometimes, it’s not quiet at all. Sometimes, it’s fueled by rage. Anger and suicide may seem like emotional opposites. One explodes outward; the other implodes. But research shows they’re more connected than we think. Anger — especially when chronic, internalized, or unexpressed — can be a powerful risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. How Anger Contributes to Suicide Risk Angry temperament : A persistent tendency to feel and express anger, even without clear provocation, is linked to suicidal ideation — independent of depression. Internalized anger : When anger is turned inward, it can become self-loathing, guilt, or shame — emotional states that erode self-worth. Erosion of social support : Chronic anger can push people away, leaving the person feeling isolated and burdensome — key ingredients in the interpersonal theory of suicide. Impulsivity and emotion dy...

  When people think about suicide, they often picture depression — the heaviness, the hopelessness, the emotional collapse. Anxiety rarely gets mentioned. It’s seen as nervousness, worry, overthinking. But anxiety, especially when chronic or severe, has its own quiet relationship with suicide risk. It’s not the same relationship as depression. It’s sharper, more frantic, more driven by fear than despair. But it’s real. What the Research Shows Studies consistently find that people with anxiety disorders — panic disorder, generalized anxiety, PTSD, OCD, social anxiety — have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors than the general population. The risk increases when: anxiety is long-standing or untreated anxiety coexists with depression anxiety leads to avoidance, isolation, or functional collapse anxiety triggers panic, agitation, or a sense of being trapped Anxiety doesn’t always look like a risk factor. Sometimes it looks like someone who’s “high-functioning,” “on edge...