CBN | Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, and What the Bible Says About Soul Pain

Alarming new statistics show more people die from suicide than murder or car accidents. Suicide touches all types of people, including the rich and famous.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a devastating report saying the suicide rate increased a whopping 25 percent in less than just two decades, now making it one of the top ten leading causes of death.

They pointed out that in 2016 alone, 45,000 Americans took their own lives.

The very same week the CDC issued the grim figures, two celebrities stunned the world by apparently taking their lives.

Police say 55-year-old fashion icon Kate Spade hanged herself in her Park Avenue apartment and 61-year-old traveling TV chef Anthony Bourdain reportedly hanged himself in a luxury hotel in France.

Dr. Timothy Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, told CBN News we need to remember the Bible tells us pursuing worldly pleasures can leave us feeling empty inside.

“There’s a verse in Ecclesiastes that says, ‘All the labors of a man’s hands are for his mouth, but his soul goes unsatisfied,'” he said. “You know with money and fame comes a lot of pressure and their own unique world of pain.”

Dr. Clinton said even Christians with a strong faith can struggle with suicidal depression and shouldn’t be ashamed to seek help.

“The church, the community of believers out there need to get more serious about mental health-related issues and themes in everyday life,” he said. “We need to bring this to the front and center, to the forefront of the church.”

Suicide warning signs include:

  • Talking or writing about suicide
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Contacting people to say goodbye
  • Giving important things away

People feeling desperate can get immediate help from the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800 237-TALK.

Read more at Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, and What the Bible Says About Soul Pain.