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Suicide Prevention Month

Updated: Jan 30, 2022

Suicide is death caused by the injuring of oneself with the intent to die. A suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves with any intent to end their life, but they do not die as a result of their actions.


“It's not about battling your past, but fighting for your future.”
― Jazz Thornton.

Causes of Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts


Many things can lead someone to commit suicide, these are just some of the main reasons:

  • Mental Illness

  • Substance Use and Impulsivity

  • Loss or Fear of Loss

  • Hopelessness

  • Chronic Pain or Illness

  • Feeling like a burden to others

  • Social Isolation


Effects of Committing/Attempting Suicide


Learning that a loved one has died by suicide can absolutely be traumatic. In addition to all the feelings that anyone would feel about the death of a loved one when the death is a suicide, there are additional feelings like:

  • Extreme guilt for not preventing the suicide

  • Failure because a person they loved felt unloved and completed suicide

  • Anger or resentment at the person who chose to take his or her own life

  • Confusion

  • Distress over unresolved issues (many of which often exist in families where one person has a mental illness, which is common in people who die by suicide)





Organizations that Help Prevent Suicide



1. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)




2. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)


3. Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS)



4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)






5. Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention





6. Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)



Did You Know?


  • The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2019 was 13.93 per 100,000 individuals.

  • The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.

  • In 2019, men died by suicide 3.63x as often as women.

  • On average, there are 130 suicides per day.

  • White males accounted for 69.38% of suicide deaths in 2019.

  • In 2019, firearms accounted for 50.39% of all suicide deaths.

  • 93% of adults surveyed in the U.S. think suicide can be prevented.



 
 
 

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