Suicide Affects Thousands

Each year in the United States, more that 30,000 lives are cut short by suicide.   That means that suicide ends one life every 17 minutes.  For every life lost, thousands more are affected by the loss of a child, parent, friend or co-worker.  It is a silent epidemic that takes more lives than AIDS or homicide and is vastly underreported by the media.

• For every HIV/AIDS attributed death, there are two deaths due to suicide.
• For every two homicides in the US, there are three deaths by suicide.  
• When measuring the impact of suicide, we must also account for the lives affected by suicide attempts.
• 1,500 Americans attempt suicide every day (one attempt every minute)
• For every suicide death there are 22 emergency room visits and 5 hospitalizations.

Suicide Affects the Young

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people (ages 10-24). According to National Institute of Mental Health, “more teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED.”  In 2003, 4,232 young people took their own lives; the equivalent of 11.5 deaths per day.  When suicide attempts and ideation are taken into account, the number of youth affected jumps exponentially.   In fact, in 1999 approximately 1 out of every 13 high school students reported making a suicide attempt in the preceding year.  

Depression Puts Youth at Risk

Research has identified risk factors for suicide, providing hope for treatment and prevention. The 2001 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, published by the US Department of Health and Human Services gives a comprehensive list of risk factors for suicide, including: mood disorders and other psychological disorders, alcohol and substance abuse disorders, and social isolation.  Untreated depression has been identified as the leading cause of suicide.

Teen Depression is Common

• Approximately 20 percent of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood.
• Between 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have some symptoms of depression at any one time.
• Depression increases a teen’s risk for attempting suicide by 12 times.
• 30 percent of teens with depression also develop a substance abuse problem.
• Depressed teens usually have a smaller social circle and take advantage of fewer career and educational opportunities.
• Depressed teens are more likely to have trouble at school and in jobs, and to struggle with relationships.

• One in 12 college students have made a suicide plan
• In 1998, suicide was the second leading cause of death in college-age students (20 to 24 year olds).
• In 2000, the American College Health Association survey revealed the following
• 9.5% had seriously contemplated suicide
• 1.5% had made a suicide attempt
• during the 12 months prior to the survey, ½ the sample reported feeling very sad, 1/3 reported feeling hopeless and 22% reported feeling so depressed as to not be able to function.

Depression is treatable, suicide is not.  Depression and suicide do not discriminate based on age, race or socioeconomic class.  Everyone is at risk.  We must focus on prevention, addressing depression and related risk factors. I Need A Lighthouse, Inc. (INAL) is committed to educating teens and young adults about depression and suicide.  Through education and prevention we can save lives and prevent needless suffering.