The nation’s suicide rate increased by 4% between 2020 and 2021 after two years of decline, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death in the United States for people between 10 and 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That increase coincided with the second year of the coronavirus pandemic and the lingering opioid overdose epidemic, though the reasons behind the uptick are complex and multifaceted.
In December 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory about a “youth mental health crisis,” warning: “Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade.”
Among the warning signs to look for: Talking about wanting to die, sleeping too little or too much and displaying extreme mood swings. Experts recommend not leaving people in such situations alone, removing weapons that could be used in suicide attempts and contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Such lifelines and professional therapy have proven effective, so there are reasons for hope, said Julie Goldstein Grumet, director of the Zero Suicide Institute at the nonprofit Education Development Center. Talking openly and directly about suicide, she added, can help fight the stigma attached to it and get aid to the people who need it.
“If we can neutralize that,” she said of the stigma, “then it allows people to come forward, to find help and to know that people care about them.”
Caitlin Corsetti Luscre of Dunwoody emphasized the importance of compassion. Her 34-year-old brother, Gordon, died by suicide on Dec. 2 after battling depression for years. Gordon was a fierce advocate for suicide prevention.
“We just have to treat each other better, especially these days. Life is hard. And for people who are struggling, life is infinitely harder,” she said. “You never really know what somebody is going through.”
Find suicide prevention resources at 988lifeline.org.
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