Facts About Suicides

• Over 32,000 people in the United States kill themselves every year.
• Accounting for 1.4% of all deaths, suicide is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S..
• A person commits suicide about every 15 minutes in the U.S. but it is estimated that an attempt is made about once a minute.
• 60% of all people who commit suicide kill themselves with firearms.
• There are 4 male suicides for every female one however, at least twice as many females as males attempt suicide.
• 3/4 of all suicides are committed by white males.

YOUTH

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students.
• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among all those 15-34 years old.
• Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death among all those 10-14 years old.
• The suicide rate for young men (15-24) has tripled since 1950 while for young women (15-24) it has more than doubled.
• The suicide rate for children (10-14) has more than doubled over the last 15 years.
• The suicide rate for young black males (15-24) has risen by 2/3 over the past 15 years.

OLDER PEOPLE

• The suicide rates for men are relatively constant from ages 20-64, but increase significantly after age 65.
• The suicide rates for women peak between the ages of 40-54 years old, and do so again after age 75.
• After a steady decrease from 1950-1980 in the suicide rates for those over 65, suicide in this age group is once again on the increase.
• The highest suicide rates are found among white men over 50 Representing 10% of the population, they are responsible for 33% of the suicides.

DEPRESSION

• Over 60% of all people who commit suicide suffer from major depression. If one includes alcoholics who are depressed, this figure rises to over 75%.
• About 15% of the population will suffer from clinical depression at some time during their lifetime. 30% of all clinically depressed patients attempt suicide; half of them succeed.

ALCOHOL AND SUICIDE

• 96% of alcoholics who commit suicide continue their substance abuse up to the end of their lives.
• Alcoholism is a factor in about 30% of all completed suicides.
• 18% of alcoholics die by suicide, 87% of these deaths are males.

FIREARMS AND SUICIDE

• Although most gun owners reportedly keep a firearm in their home for "protection" or "self defense," 83% of gun related deaths in these homes are the result of a suicide, often by someone other than the gun owner.
• Fewer than 10% of people who commit suicide buy a gun with the specific intent of killing themself.
• Death by firearms is the fastest growing method of suicide.
• Firearms are now used in more suicides than homicides.
• States with stricter gun control laws have lower rates of suicide.

MEDICAL ILLNESS AND SUICIDE

• Highest suicide rates occur in those over 50. In more than half of those deaths medical illness plays an important role in the motivation to commit suicide.
• Patients who desire an early death during a serious or terminal illness are usually suffering from a treatable depressive condition.
• People with AIDS have a suicide risk up to 20 times that of the general population.

* Figures are based on 1995 United States statistics.