Depression Suicide Suicide Statistics in the United States Statistics suggest the percent of people who die by suicide is growing By Leonard Holmes, PhD Leonard Holmes, PhD Leonard Holmes, PhD, is a pioneer of the online therapy field and a clinical psychologist specializing in chronic pain and anxiety. Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 10, 2023 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Sean Blackburn Fact checked by Sean Blackburn Sean is a fact-checker and researcher with experience in sociology, field research, and data analytics. Learn about our editorial process Print Aliyev Alexei Sergeevich / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents The Suicide Rate Suicide Rate Statistic Breakdowns How the United States Compares Depression and Suicide Depression and Suicide Warning Signs What to Do Trending Videos Close this video player Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Suicides in the United States have been on the rise, increasing 37% between 2000 and 2018. While there was a 5% decrease between 2018 and 2020, these rates returned to their peak in 2021. Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death among Americans in 2021. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 34. The annual suicide rate in the U.S. is over 14 deaths per 100,000 population. Provisional estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that 49,449 people died by suicide in 2022, a 2.6% increase over the previous year. One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes. At a Glance Statistics suggest that suicide rates have reached an all-time high in the United States. The CDC collects data and vital statistics that allow them to track the percentage of people who die by suicide, including demographic information to understand better who is most at risk.Suicide is linked to depression, other psychiatric conditions, and substance use. Recognizing the warning signs of suicide can help people know when to seek help and take steps to prevent suicide. Press Play to Learn More About Suicide & Suicidal Ideation Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring psychiatrist Mark Goulston, shares why people have suicidal thoughts, why you shouldn't blame yourself if you've lost someone to suicide, and what to do if you are having suicidal thoughts. Click below to listen now. Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts The Suicide Rate The suicide rate is the number of completed suicides per 100,000 people. Attempted suicide is not counted in the suicide rate. In addition to completed suicides, the CDC reports that in 2021, 12.3 million adults in the United States seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million people made a plan, and 1.7 million attempted suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gathers data from hospitals on cases of self-harm and suicide each year. However, some suggest that these numbers are underreported due to the stigma surrounding suicide. Suicide Rate Statistic Breakdowns Suicide rates differ among age groups and other demographics. Sex Differences Men and women have differing rates of suicide. Women have higher rates of suicidal thinking, non-fatal suicidal behavior, and suicide attempts. Men, however, die by suicide at much higher rates. One primary reason for this disparity is that men are more likely to use firearms, whereas women are more likely to overdose on medications or drugs. The suicide rate is four times higher for males than females. In the United States, male deaths make up almost 80% of all suicide deaths. Women are three times more likely to attempt suicide and have suicidal thoughts. Firearms are the most common cause of death for men. Poisoning is the most common cause of death for women. The suicide rate is highest among middle-aged white males. A 2015 study in the Proceedings of the Natural Sciences found that the suicide rate among white, middle-aged American men has increased dramatically in recent years. Disparities in Suicide Rates Certain groups of people also tend to have higher rates of suicide. The CDC states that suicide and suicidal behavior is influenced by the conditions where people live and work, known as social determinants of health. People who experience discrimination and economic hardship because of race, sexual orientation, and disability have a higher risk of suicide. In 2021, 26.3% of high school students who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual reported attempting suicide in the previous year, a number five times higher than the rate resported for heterosexual students.Data suggest that 82% of transgender people have considered suicide, and more than 41% have attempted it. These rates are highest among transgender youth.Among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, suicide is a leading cause of death across all ages. The suicide rate for non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native people was 28.1 per 100,000.While data are limited, surveys suggest that 30.6% of people with disabilities report experiencing suicidal ideation, a rate three times higher than that of non-disabled people. Where you live can also impact suicide risk. The suicide rate is 1.8 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Suicide Rates by Age Group Suicide statistics by age group have been consistent for several years. Broken down by age group across all racial and ethnic groups, suicide as a leading cause of death ranked as follows: Age Group Suicide Leading Cause of Death 10-14 Second 15-24 Third 25-34 Second 35-44 Fourth 45-54 Seventh 55-64 Ninth 65 and older Outside of the top 10 Suicide is expensive—not only in the emotional toll it takes but also in its real financial impact. Researchers suggest that the estimated loss is over $58 billion in medical costs and lost work. Differences in Suicide Among Men and Women How the United States Compares The World Health Organization reports that nearly 700,000 people die worldwide each year from suicide, about one person every 40 seconds. Globally, it accounts for 1.3% of all deaths and was the 17th leading cause of death in 2019. A 2019 report published in The BMJ found that the global suicide rate has dropped by almost a third since 1990. The study found that while the actual number of suicides increased during this time, the suicide rate dropped from 16.6 deaths per 100,000 in 1990 to 11.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2016. These global declines in suicide deaths are largely attributed to drops in the suicide rates in China and India. Other countries, including the United States, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, and Belize, all experienced significant increases in suicides over the same time period. Depression and Suicide Depression and suicide are linked, with an estimate that up to 60% of people who die by suicide have major depression. However, it's important to note that this figure doesn't mean most people with depression will attempt suicide. Research suggests that the majority of suicides are related to a psychiatric condition, including depression, substance use disorders, and psychosis. Estimates indicate that the suicide risk for mental illnesses, including depression, alcoholism, and schizophrenia is around 5% to 8%. However, while many people who die by suicide had symptoms of a mental condition, it is important to note that most people with symptoms of mental disorders do not commit suicide. Depression and Risk of Suicide Depression and Suicide Warning Signs There are warning signs you can watch for in those who may be at risk of attempting suicide. Suicide can affect anyone; there is no single type of person who may attempt or complete suicide. The symptoms below are not exhaustive. However, these are the most common signs observed among people who may be contemplating taking their own life: A change in personality, especially behaviors in social situations Withdrawal from interaction or communication with others Mood changes that are drastic, such as being in a very low mood one day to being in a very high mood the next Triggers such as a life crisis or trauma in a person who is already living with depression Threats of suicide or expressed negative wishes regarding life, such as wishing they'd "never been born" Giving away cherished belongings to friends and loved ones Deep depression observed that affects their ability to function socially or in the workplace Aggressive or risky behaviors, such as high-speed driving Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Suicide What to Do If you or someone you know is depressed, there are effective treatments available. Talking to your doctor is a good first step. Your primary care provider can offer support, treatment, and referrals to a mental health professional for other treatment options, which may include antidepressants and psychotherapy. If you need help finding a therapist, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America offers an online search tool to help find professionals in your area. Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness to learn more about support groups that you might find helpful. Tips for Coping with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts 18 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide data and statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System, Mortality 2018-2021 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide mortality in the United States, 2001-2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provisional suicide deaths in the United States, 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts about suicide. Cibis A, Mergl R, Bramesfeld A, et al. Preference of lethal methods is not the only cause for higher suicide rates in males. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;136(1-2):9-16. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.08.032 Bommersbach TJ, Rosenheck RA, Petrakis IL, Rhee TG. Why are women more likely to attempt suicide than men? Analysis of lifetime suicide attempts among US adults in a nationally representative sample. J Affect Disord. 2022;311:157-164. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.096 Case A, Deaton A. Rising morbidity and mortality in midlife among white non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st century. PNAS. 2015;112(49):15078-15083. doi:10.1073/pnas.1518393112 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disparities in suicide. Austin A, Craig SL, D'Souza S, McInroy LB. Suicidality among transgender youth: Elucidating the role of interpersonal risk factors [published correction appears in J Interpers Violence. 2020 Jul 29;:886260520946128]. J Interpers Violence. 2022;37(5-6):NP2696-NP2718. doi:10.1177/0886260520915554 Hedegaard H, Curtin SC, Warner M. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. NCHS Data Brief, no 330. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 10 leading causes of death, United States, 2020, both sexes, all ages, all races. Shepard DS, Gurewich D, Lwin AK, Reed GA, Silverman MM. Suicide and Suicidal Attempts in the United States: Costs and Policy Implications. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2016;46(3):352-362. doi:10.1111/sltb.12225 World Health Organization. Suicide data. Naghavi M. Global, regional, and national burden of suicide mortality 1990 to 2016: systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. BMJ. 2019;364:l94. doi:10.1136/bmj.l94 Ng CW, How CH, Ng YP. Depression in primary care: assessing suicide risk. Singapore Med J. 2017;58(2):72-77. doi:10.11622/smedj.2017006 Bradvik L. Suicide risk and mental disorders. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(9):2028. doi:10.3390/ijerph15092028 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk and protective factors. By Leonard Holmes, PhD Leonard Holmes, PhD, is a pioneer of the online therapy field and a clinical psychologist specializing in chronic pain and anxiety. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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