By The opinion
Nov 29, 2023, 18:20 PM EST
Deaths by suicide in the United States hit a record high last year but declined among children and young adults, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a report released Wednesday, the organization used death records from the National Center for Health Statistics to estimate that The number of suicides in 2022 was 3% higher than in 2021, totaling 49,449 deaths compared to the previous 48,183.
The report also looked at changes by age, race and sex.
For men, the age-adjusted suicide rate was 1% higher in 2022 than in 2021, and it was 4% higher for women. Rates also increased for nearly all racial groups, the report noted.
Regarding age, there were some decreases.
“Suicide rates generally decreased for men aged 34 and younger and increased for those aged 35 and older. For women, rates decreased for those age 24 and younger and increased for those age 25 and older,” the report stated.
More specifically, from 2021 to 2022, rates for children ages 10 to 14 decreased by 18%. There was a 9% decrease for those aged 15 to 24 and a drop of 2% for those aged 25 to 34.
The declines among younger age groups are a hopeful change after years of worrying increases.
Still, research also shows that young people’s mental health is in crisis overall, and the numbers are particularly worrying around teenage girls. A CDC survey conducted earlier this year found that about 1 in 3 high school girls in the U.S. have seriously considered attempting suicide and more than half of teen girls, 57%, reported feeling “persistently sad or desperate.”
Experts believe the overall increase in suicide rates is a result of several factors, including stress, the impact of social media, the COVID-19 pandemic, higher rates of depression, limited access to mental health services and greater access to weapons.
“Mental health has become the defining social and public health challenge of our time,” said Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who participated in the research. “Too many people and their families suffer and feel alone.”
“These figures are a sobering reminder of how urgent it is to further expand access to mental health care, address the root causes of mental health problems and recognize the importance of checking in and supporting each other,” Murthy added.
Since 2000, with the exception of 2019 and 2020, deaths by suicide have steadily increased, CDC data shows leading officials to urge improved mental health resources.
“The disturbing increase in suicides requires immediate action across our society to address the staggering loss of life caused by preventable tragedies,” said Dr. Debra Houry, CDC medical director. “We can all play a role in efforts to save lives and reverse the rise in suicide deaths.”
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