What is Suicide?
Suicide, by definition, is fatal. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. In 2007, more than 34,000 suicides occurred in the U.S – a rate of 94 suicides per day or one suicide every 15 minutes. While suicide affects people of all ages, it is the second leading cause of death among 25-34 year olds and the third leading cause of death among 15-24 years old. High rates of suicide also exist for those who are middle-aged and elderly. Although males are nearly four times as likely to take their own lives as females, women attempt suicide two to three times as often as men.
While a high rate of suicide exists, more people attempt suicide than actually die. For every one suicide, there are approximately 25 attempts. In 2008 alone, 376,306 people were treated in emergency departments for self-inflicted injuries. Of those, 163,489 were hospitalized due to self-inflicted injuries.
A correlation exists between suicide, depression, and other mental health issues, including substance abuse. Statistics suggest that many who commit suicide were under the influence at the time of death. In one study, approximately one third of those who committed suicide were positive for alcohol at the time of death and approximately 1 in 5 had evidence of opiates.
Suicide victims don't necessarily want to die. Instead, they want relief for their intense psychological pain. They often feel hopeless and that there is no solution. Fortunately, help is available for those at risk of suicide.
Statistics obtained from the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control