Published: Fri, June 08, 2018
Medicine | By Douglas Stevenson



NY saw a roughly 30 percent jump since 1999, mirroring the nationwide rate for the same period, according to the agency, which examined state-level trends in suicide rates from that year through 2016.

Since 1999, suicide has become almost 30 percent more common in the USA - and more than half of those who killed themselves in 2016 had not been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, underscoring the need for better understanding of the signs that precede suicide and access to mental health care, experts say.



Schuchat said that increases correlated with economic downturns, with the most rural states the hardest-hit.

While it may be true that suicide rates are increasing across the board, research consistently points to a strong association between firearm access and suicide deaths, independent of other factors. There were 44,965 suicide deaths in 2016, according to CDC data. "From individuals and communities to employers and healthcare professionals, everyone can play a role in efforts to help save lives and reverse this troubling rise in suicide". Historically, the suicide rate tracks with recessions, rising when times are bad and falling when they're better.

The CDC report notes many factors contribute to suicide with the most common being relationship problems, crisis in the past or upcoming two weeks, problematic substance use, physical health problem, and job or financial problem.

In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Schuchat and Deborah Stone, lead author of the CDC analysis, stressed that other factors were also critical to preventing suicide. Twenty-five states saw percentage rate increases of more than 30 percent over the 17 years.

Kansas has many resources available, ranging from prevention and behavioral health promotion strategies to guidance in responding effectively to suicidal thoughts, plans, and actions. Nevada, the outlier, had a slight decrease of 1 percent in its suicide rate.

If you believe a loved one is considering suicide, do not leave him or her alone and try to get the person to seek help from a doctor or the nearest hospital emergency department or dial 911.

"The reason most suicide decedents don't have a known mental disorder is that they were never diagnosed, not that they didn't have one", said Dr. David Brent, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.

"People who attempt suicide are often acutely distressed or in crisis at that particular moment". "Our findings show that these laws are associated with reduced gun suicide rates".



Help them connect with ongoing support. However, teens who aren't likely to reach out could be internalizing what they see.

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