US suicides in 2023 still at highest level in nation's history, says data

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: VOA/AP

September 29, 2024 3:06 AM


NEW YORK — U.S. suicides last year remained at about the highest level in the nation's history, preliminary data suggests. A little more than 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number that could grow a little as some death investigations are wrapped up and reported. Just under 49,500 were reported in 2022, according to final data released Thursday.

The numbers are close enough that the suicide rate for the two years are the same, CDC officials said. U.S. suicide rates have been rising for nearly 20 years, aside from a two-year drop around the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. So "a leveling off of any increase in suicide is cautiously promising news," said Katherine Keyes, a Columbia University public health professor who studies suicide.

Indeed, there's reason for optimism. A 2-year-old national crisis line allows anyone in the U.S. to dial 988 to reach mental health specialists. That and other efforts may be starting to pay off, Keyes said, but it "really remains to be seen."

Experts caution that suicide — the nation's 11th-leading cause of death in 2022 — is complicated and that attempts can be driven by a range of factors. Contributors include higher rates of depression, limited availability of mental health services, and the availability of guns. About 55% of all suicide deaths in 2022 involved firearms, according to CDC data.

Read more: https://www.voanews.com/a/us-suicides-in-2023-still-at-highest-level-in-nation-s-history-says-data/7802649.html

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Link to CDC REPORT page - Suicide Mortality in the United States, 2002–2022 (Published: 9/26/2024)

Link to CDC REPORT (PDF) - https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db509.pdf

[hlthe2b]

1. No one wants to even theorize the cause of many of these suicides... While multifactorial, I'd bet some here

could sadly project the leading causes. The contributors CDC lists are enabling (guns) or proximal causes (depression), but not necessarily inclusive of the primary causes and may even include a lot of secondary causes (again, depression).

We need more directed studies-- including those not afraid to ask the hard questions or to follow up on hypotheses that are controversial, potentially political, or at least sensitive.

[Evolve Dammit]

14. I think hopelessness, which is tied to depression is quite prevalent.

[twodogsbarking]

2. We learn more about mental health but so much more is needed. If you are struggling search for help.

There are other people who struggle too. It's just health. Take care.

[Oopsie Daisy]

3. I wonder how many are young people.

Or, if there's a breakdown of ages where suicide is more prevalent.

[former9thward]

4. From the report young people have higher rates than older people.

In 2022, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death for all ages in the United States, the same as in 2021. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 20–34, and the third leading cause for people ages 15–19. Following a peak in overall suicide rates in 2018, rates declined through 2020, but provisional death data showed that suicide increased through 2022.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db509.htm

[Oopsie Daisy]

8. 😥😢😿

[Igel]

10. CDC likes breakdowns.

Info by age for " target="_blank">males and " target="_blank">females. The usual caveat I tell my students, "always know what the labels are on the axes and pay attention to the scale."

The scale for females only tics above 10/100k for a year or two, for males except for the 10-14 cohort it never gets below 15 ad in the last 8-10 years hasn't needed anything below 20.

If you rummage, you can find similar break-outs by ethnicity. Black and Latino suicide rates were far lower than whites', Native American/Alaskan Native were higher than whites'; the link is good up through 2017, numbers probably haven't changed so much to cause a reversal in the trends.

[Oopsie Daisy]

11. Many thanks.

[kimbutgar]

5. I knew a guy who had struggles with alcohol that was fired from his job and a few days later

his mother found him dead recently. No one wanted to say suicide but we knew.

[wolfie001]

6. If you go to church and are convinced that god will make things better.......

....and then face the daily ambiguous incongruities of real life, well, that may start someone on a downward spiral. I could see that. Look at that hurricane stuck in the mountains of Georgia, NC. I've read articles calling the floods "biblical' as if it's god's judgement. Just a thought.

[agalisgv]

12. It depends which church

For example, Catholics traditionally believe suicide is a sin. While we know a "forgiving God" would
recognize mental illness.

[wolfie001]

13. True

I basically have given up the whole religious thing since 2004 but I'm always trying to be empathetic and understanding. Cheers

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. That number is not going to go down until we address the inequity and injustice in our midst.

But that would not be profitable, so it isn't going to happen any time soon. It is all preventable. But, it is not 'cheap', because the number one concern whenever the subject comes up is cost. COST! People are dying and we are worrying about costs. It is that completely fucked up priority that will prevent any actual progress on the topic.

You want to help? Stop worrying about the freaking costs. Get it done.

[twodogsbarking]

9. Veterans as a group are more likely. That bothers me.

Veterans consist of 13.5% of all deaths by suicide in US adults but only make up 7.9% of the US adult population.

[The Wandering Harper]

15. suicide is a societal / environmental problem,

not an individual one.
The world is becoming increasingly inhospitable especially to those with limited money,
and wealth continues to be concentrated toward the few