Suicide rates in the US have skyrocketed to their highest in 3 decades
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More Americans are taking their own lives today than they have at any other point in the past three decades.
Suicide rates rose close to steadily from 1999 through 2014, the most recent year for which we have data, according to a new report released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The uptick in deaths by suicide during this period is in sharp contrast to the rate of suicides seen in the country between 1986 and 1999, when suicides declined almost consistently each year.
Of particular concern are several groups of Americans, notably young adults. Suicide is among the leading causes of death for both adolescents and young adults, according to the new data. But suicide among middle-aged Americans is rising, as well.
Here are the report's main findings:
- The US suicide rate, adjusted for age, rose 24% between 1999 and 2014, from 10.5 people dying by suicide per 100,000 to 13 people dying by suicide per 100,000 population.
- Suicide rates rose sharply after 2006, coinciding with the US economic downturn.
- The increases weren't limited by age or gender: They rose for men and women and for all ages 10–74.
- Among women, the group most affected by increased suicide rates was girls 10 to 14. For men, it was those aged 45-64.
- The most frequent suicide method in 2014 for men was firearms (55%); for women, poisoning was the most frequent method (34%).
“It’s really stunning to see such a large increase in suicide rates affecting virtually every age group,” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation senior adviser for healthcare Katherine Hempstead, who spotted a link between suicides in middle age and rising rates of distress about jobs and personal finances, told The New York Times.
Here's a chart from the report showing suicide rates for American women:
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And another chart showing suicide rates for American men:
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The report breaks suicides down further by method and gender:
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There are warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide. For more information, visit the American Association of Suicidology. Additionally, the CDC is working to monitor the problem, develop and evaluate prevention strategies, and to disseminate information to prevent suicidal behavior.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts about suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as soon as possible at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or check out the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.