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MCC Daily Tribune

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

The Counselors in the MCC Counseling Center would like the MCC Community to know that September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month's focus is raising commitment and action to prevent suicide. The 2019 theme is "Working Together to Prevent Suicide. It is a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to come together with collective resolve around this difficult topic. In this awareness month people should be aware that

  • Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States for all ages. (CDC 2018)
  • Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide. (CDC 2018)
  • There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes. (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide takes the lives of over 44,965 Americans every year. (CDC 2018)
  • The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
  • An estimated quarter of a million people each year become suicide survivors (AAS).
  • There is one completed suicide for every estimated 25-suicide attempts. (CDC 2018)
  • There is one suicide for every estimated 4-suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC 2018)

Global Statistics

  • Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year, which is roughly one death every 40 seconds.
  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-24 years.

Gender

  • Suicide among males is 4x's higher than among females. Male deaths represent 79% of all US suicides. (CDC 2018)
  • Firearms are the most commonly used method of suicide among males (51%) (CDC 2018)
  • Females are more likely than males to have had suicidal thoughts. (CDC 2018)
  • Females attempt suicide 3x's as often as males. (CDC)
  • Poisoning is the most common method of suicide for females. (CDC 2018)

Age

  • 1 in 100,000 children ages 10 to 14 die by suicide each year. (NIMH 2018)
  • 7 in 100,000 youth ages 15 to 19 die by suicide each year. (NIMH 2018)
  • 7 in 100,000 young adults ages 20-24 die by suicide each year. (NIMH 2018)
  • The prevalence of suicidal thoughts, suicidal planning and suicide attempts is significantly higher among adults aged 18-29 than among adults aged 30+. (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year old Americans. (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for adults ages 18-65. (CDC 2018)
  • The highest increase in suicide is in males 50+ (30 per 100,000). (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide rates for females are highest among those aged 45-54 (9 per 100,000) (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide rates for males are highest among those aged 75+ (36 per 100,000). (CDC 2018)
  • Suicide rates among the elderly are highest for those who are divorced or widowed.

Crisis Resources-LifeLine-275-5151...National Suicide Hotline-1-800-273-8255...Veterans Hotline-888-514-8650... Deaf and Hard of Hearing-1-800-799-4889.Text-NAMI Crisis Text Line@ 741-741

E. Watkins
Counseling Center & Disability Services
09/13/2019