Men and women of all ages are affected by stress-related depression caused by continuing economic decline. However, I have found that mid-life men are particularly vulnerable. In the most extreme cases, emotionally unstable men can resort to violence directed at themselves and others.
I was deeply saddened to learn about Ervin Antonio Lupoe who killed his wife and five children before killing himself on January 27, 2009. According to news reports, 40 year-old Lupoe became distraught after he and his wife lost their jobs as medical technicians at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in West Los Angeles. The underlying reasons that cause a man to kill those he loves and then to take his own life are complex. Yet, the depression and despair from losing his livelihood are important factors.
