Emotional distress within the baby boomer generation is reflected in a sharp rise of the suicide rate among this age group.
US deaths from suicide are now higher than deaths from automobile accidents, according to statistics released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reported on in The New York Times (May 2, 2013). A surprisingly sharp rise occurred among the baby-boomer generation. Suicide in this age group (35-64) rose 30%, with rates among men far higher than among women and men in their 50’s at most risk.
The causes are complex and varied; however, we know that just as infants must have caring touch to thrive, adults also need caring touch for optimum emotional health. Touch can be limited for older adults who experience social isolation, have lost a spouse, face limiting health conditions, or live in nursing homes.
It goes without saying that Reiki is not a substitute for medical treatment for serious emotional illness; however, as Reiki practitioners, we witness daily that treatment raises the spirits and confers a greater sense of peace and well-being on our clients. We render a valuable service by reaching out to those who may be especially vulnerable to emotional distress.
Read the New York Times article.
©2013, 2014, Marianne Streich, Reiki for Living. All rights reserved. An earlier version of this article appeared in the May 2013 issue of The Reiki for Living News. Contact Marianne for re-posting permission.
Marianne is a Seattle-Area Reiki teacher and practitioner. She is the author of Reiki, A Guide for the Practice of Levels I and II and a former editor, contributor, and columnist for Reiki News Magazine (2004-2010). See her current class schedule.