Suicide Facts: United States
- Over 32,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year.
- In 2005, there were 32,637 reported suicide deaths; that is almost 90 people a day.
- A person dies by suicide in this country approximately every 16 minutes.
- Suicide is the 11th highest cause of death for all ages, sexes and ethnicities.
- In 2005 there were 18,124 homicide deaths.
- Statistically, you are twice as likely to kill yourself than to be killed by someone else.
Globally
- There are about 750,000 suicides annually; that is about 2,000 per day, or 80 suicides per hour.
- Suicide deaths consistently outnumber homicide deaths internationally by a margin of 3:2.
- There are more suicides globally than deaths from war and violence combined.
There are also many more suicides than the official statistics reveal. It is estimated that suicide deaths are under-reported by 20-30%. Many "accidental" or "undetermined" deaths may actually be suicides: single car accidents with no skid marks, falling off a ship, stumbling in front of the train, accidental overdoses, cleaning a gun, etc. Families and physicians may hide evidence of a suicide due to the stigma of taking one's own life. Additionally, the frequency of physician-assisted suicides is unknown.
Untreated mental illness (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others) is the cause for the vast majority of suicides. However, many other demographical information can help predict who is the most likely to complete suicide.
The Demographics of Suicide
Although major demographic categories are discussed separately, a person invariably has more than one risk factor, which even further increases their risk for suicide. For example, a 35-year-old male law enforcement officer with depression, who was recently divorced, involved in an internal affairs investigation, and abuses alcohol is at a high risk for suicide. He ends his life with his service weapon. This individual had six significant suicide risk factors: gender, occupation, depression, substance abuse, divorce, and access to a firearm.
Gender
Who is most likely to commit suicide? Overwhelmingly, males are. Males kill themselves at about four times the rate for females, and represent 78.8% of all U.S. suicides. The suicide rates for men rise with age, most significantly after age 65.
However, women attempt suicide twice as often as men. A woman takes her own life every 90 minutes in the U.S., but it is estimated that a woman attempts suicide every 78 seconds. The suicide rates for women peak between the ages of 45-54 years old, and again after age 75.
Age: The Young and the Old
In general, suicide rates increase with age. However, there is a major spike during the adolescent and young adult years. Almost 13% of all suicides are by individuals who are under the age of 25. A person aged 24 or less completes suicide about every two hours in the United States. Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among those 5-14 years old and the third leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old. Among the 15-24 year old age group, there is one completed suicide for every 100-200 attempts. In 2005, almost 17% of U.S. high school students reported that they had seriously considered killing themselves during the past year. Eight percent reported that they had tried to commit suicide during that same time frame.
People older than 65 years have the highest rate of suicide; they account for 16.6% of all suicides. A person aged 65 or older completes suicide about every 90 minutes. Among this age group, there is one completed suicide for every four attempts. Caucasian males aged 75 or older committed suicide at the highest rate of any demographic group. The rate of suicide in men 65 or older is seven times that of females who are 65 or older.
Marital Status
Marriage is associated with lower overall suicide rates. Divorced people are three times as likely to commit suicide as people who are married. Gender also plays a role in this; divorced and widowed men are more likely than divorced and widowed women to commit suicide. Living alone and being single increase the risk of suicide. Being a parent also decreases a person's risk for suicide, especially for mothers.
Geography
Examining the nation regionally, the Western states have the highest suicide completion rates. This in not related to weather, but to the concentration of people in these states; the population is more spread out than in other parts of the country. People living in rural areas are at higher risk for suicide than those who live in urban areas. The five states with the highest rate are Montana (with a rate of 22.0 per 100,000), Nevada (19.9) and Alaska (19.7). New Mexico and Wyoming are tied (17.7). The states with the lowest rates are the District of Columbia (6.0 per 100,000), New Jersey (6.1), New York (6.2,) Rhode Island (6.6), and Massachusetts (7.5). The mountain states have the highest suicide rate at 16.9 per 100,000. The Middle Atlantic region has the lowest rate at 7.8% per 100,000.
Professions and Occupations
Statistics regarding suicide related to profession are, at best, quite misleading. Many groups of professionals have claimed that they have the highest suicide rates, and they do have some statistics to back up their claims. Individuals in health care, law enforcement and the military have a significantly higher rate than others do, but this is undoubtedly because they know how to complete suicide more efficiently. Where to place a bullet, what is a lethal dose, etc., is part of their job description.
Physicians, especially psychiatrists, are at an increased risk–their suicide rate is roughly five times greater than that of the public at large. Police officers are eight times more likely to die by suicide than by murder (their suicide rate is roughly double that of the general public). A 1994 study found that officers with marital problems were nearly five times more likely to attempt suicide, and officers who had been suspended were nearly seven times more likely to try to end their lives. Veterinarians and dentists also have high suicide rates.
One of the most alarming statistics for completed suicide is that for veterans– they are more than twice as likely to commit suicide than non-vets. More specifically, veterans aged 20-24 who had served during the War on Terror had the highest suicide rate among all veterans. They kill themselves three to five times more often than non-veterans of the same age.
Economic Factors
Extremes in wealth or poverty are associated with higher suicide rates. People with both the highest and lowest incomes are more likely to complete suicide than those with other income levels. Times of economic depressions have also been correlated to increased suicide rates. Unemployment or being in debt also increases an individual's feeling of despair and hopelessness, making them more susceptible to suicide. Since life insurance does not pay families for suicide*, many individuals resort to killing themselves in ways that appear accidental.
Religion
In the U.S., research has suggested that people who have a religious affiliation are less likely to commit suicide than people who do not. However, religious affiliation related to suicide rates vary substantially. Protestants have a higher rate of suicide than either Catholics or Jews. Some religions actually encourage suicide in situations of disgrace or for patriotic reasons. Suicide is not permitted under Islam, but martyring oneself to Allah is condoned.
Timing
Most suicides occur in the spring; the highest month for suicide is May, followed by April. Lack of daylight also correlates with depression and suicide related to an illness called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Statistically, there are more suicides on Monday over any other day of the week. This statistic may be skewed, as many people who commit suicide are not found until after the weekend, when they fail to report for work or school. Despite popular belief, suicide rates do not increase over the winter holidays, or on an individual's birthday. In fact, December is the lowest month related to completed suicides. Additionally, research has continually demonstrated no relationship between suicides and the phase of the moon.
Medical Conditions
People who are terminally ill, have a serious and/or chronic illnesses, or have protracted pain are at a greater risk for completing suicide. These individuals often use suicide as a way to regain some control concerning when and how they will die, or to prevent the emotional pain that their loved ones may experience while watching them die more slowly. Medical conditions associated with the highest suicide rates are end-stage renal disease, chronic heart or lung diseases, cancer, HIV infection/AIDS, quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis, and severe burns.
Mental illness
90% of people who commit suicide have one or more diagnosable mental illnesses. 60% percent of all suicides are committed by people with mood disorders (such as major depression, dysthymia, or bipolar disorder). Approximately 30% of suicides are committed by people who have psychiatric disorders other than mood disorders which include post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, sleep disorders, and eating disorders (particularly anorexia nervosa). Depression affects nearly 10% of Americans ages 18 and over annually–19 million people.
15% percent of the American population will suffer from clinical depression during their lifetime. 30% of all clinically depressed individuals attempt suicide; about half of them will ultimately be successful. Depression is one of the most treatable mental illnesses, between 80-90% of individuals diagnosed with depression respond to treatment.
Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Suicide
Alcoholism is a factor in about 30% of all completed suicides. In a national violent death research study, toxicology results showed that those who committed suicide tested positive for alcohol 33.3% of the time, 16.4% for opiates, 9.4% for cocaine; and 7.7% for marijuana.
Life Experience Risks
Significant life events frequently precipitate suicide; these include:
- Loss of a romantic relationship
- Job termination or demotion
- Grief over the loss of a loved one, specifically a spouse, child, parent, friend, or pet
- Changes in the health of a loved one
- Changes in social or economic status
- Legal problems
Additional Suicide Risks
- People who have lost a family member or friend to suicide are more likely to attempt or commit suicide.
- Persons with post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) are especially vulnerable to suicide.
- People who commit or attempt suicide may be copying an idol or famous case of suicide.
- People who are highly impulsive are at greater risk for committing suicide. Examples of impulsive behavior include fighting, risky sex practices, substance abuse, fighting, gambling, and doing things to excess (driving too fast, playing dangerous games, gambling, etc.)
- People who have made previous suicide attempts are at higher risk of completing suicide than people who have not.
- People who were abused or neglected as children have a higher risk of suicide than others do.
- Victims of domestic violence are at higher risk of suicide than people who have not had this experience.
- People involved in, or arrested for, committing crimes are at higher risk of committing suicide than other people.
Methods of Suicide
Firearms are by far the most common method for suicide, accounting for 55% of all suicides. Hanging or suffocation is used in 20% of all suicides. Poisoning (overdosing) accounts for another 20% of completed suicide. Jumping or falling of a building or bridge actually accounts for only 2% of suicides.
Attempted Suicides
In 2006, there were over 800,000 known American suicide attempts–one about every 39 seconds. About 4% of these were successful. 92 Americans are attempting suicide in any given hour. Additionally, another estimated 300,000 Americans survive a suicide attempt annually. Most will only need a brief emergency room; however, 39% will be hospitalized for an average of ten days. It is easy to bungle a suicide attempt. 17% of those who survive a suicide attempt will be permanently disabled.
Conclusion
Suicide has been coined "the most preventable death." Given the right, or the wrong circumstances, anyone and everyone can potentially become suicidal. If you are considering suicide, there are other options. Call 911, a hotline, your doctor, a family member, a friend, a partner, a supervisor, employment assistance program–talk to someone. If you suspect someone you know may be suicidal, get them help immediately. As a LEO on a call, assess as many risk factors as you can when determining if someone represents a danger to themselves, and are in need of an emergency psychiatric evaluation. Remember, suicidal acts are rarely related to just one risk factor.
Resources
The statistics, obviously overwhelming, to complete this article were compiled using many websites including information from the Centers for Disease Control, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the National Center for Health Statistics, eMedicine.com, CBS news, Suicide.org, mentalhelp.net, ahealthyme.com, suicidemethods.net, Medical College of Wisconsin, and a1b2c3.com.
*Editor's Note: Although some life insurance policies will not pay out at all if the insured is a suicide, most will at least refund the premiums paid, and many will pay the full death benefit if the suicide occurs after an "exclusion period," typically two to three years after the policy is purchased.–TMD