The suicide rate in the U.S. has reached its highest level in almost 30 years, according to a federal data analysis. The rise in suicide rates was particularly significant in middle-aged women.
The suicide rate in the U.S. for 45- to 64-year-old women rose by 63 percent over the entire study period and 43 percent for men in the same age range, the New York Times reports. The overall suicide rate in the U.S. increased by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, based on a study released on Friday by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Sheriff: "There is no reason to believe at this point that (Prince's death) was a suicide" https://t.co/KAg0Xz1pOU https://t.co/wPTFdi5zhC
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In 1999, the total number of people who committed suicide in the U.S. was 29,199. In 2014, the number increased to a total of 42,773 suicides. "This is part of the larger emerging pattern of evidence of the links between poverty, hopelessness and health," Harvard public policy professor Robert D. Putnam explained to the New York Times.
For 10- to 14-year-old girls, the number rose from 50 suicides in 1999 to 150 suicides in 2014. "It's really stunning to see such a large increase in suicide rates affecting virtually every age group," Katherine Hempstead, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation health care senior adviser, told the New York Times.
Among all ethnic and racial groups, American Indians had the biggest increase in suicide rate—89 percent increase for women and 38 percent increase for men. The racial group of African-American men and women over the age of 75 was the only one who had a decline in suicide rate.
There are several ways for people with depression and other mental illnesses to prevent having suicidal thoughts which can also result in a lower suicide rate in the U.S. Avoiding drugs and alcohol, eliminating potentially dangerous items in the house, communicating your feelings to other people and getting professional help are some of the best ways to avoid suicide attempts and thoughts, Help Guide shares.
