About 49,500 people took their own lives in the United States last year, a record high, according to new government data released Thursday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the figures, has yet to calculate the suicide rate for this year, but available data suggests that the United States has more suicides than at any time since the outbreak of World War II. ing.
“Something is wrong. That number shouldn’t go up,” said Christina Wilbur, a 45-year-old Florida woman who shot her son last year.
“My son should not have died,” she said. “I know it’s complicated, I really do, but we have to be able to do something. because it is of no use.”
Experts warn that suicide is complex and that the recent rise in suicides may be driven by a variety of factors, including rising rates of depression and limited access to mental health services. there is
But the main driver is the increased availability of guns, said Jill Harkaby Friedman, senior vice president of research at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Suicide attempts using guns kill far more than suicide attempts by other means, and gun sales are skyrocketing, with guns installed in more and more homes.
A recent analysis from Johns Hopkins University, using preliminary data for 2022, calculated that gun suicide rates nationwide rose to record highs last year. For the first time, gun suicide rates among black teens surpassed those among white teens, researchers have found.
“I don’t know how you can talk about suicide without talking about firearms,” Harkaby Friedman said.
The number of suicides in the United States rose steadily from the early 2000s through 2018, with the national suicide rate reaching its highest level since 1941. There were about 48,300 suicides that year, or 14.2 per 100,000 Americans.
The rate dropped slightly in 2019, but dropped again in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some experts have linked this to the cohesion and support of people seen in the early stages of war and natural disasters.
But in 2021, suicides increased by 4%. That number rose by more than 1,000 to 49,449 last year, up about 3% from the previous year, according to new data. Preliminary data are based on U.S. death certificates and are believed to be nearly complete, but are subject to minor changes as death information is reviewed in the coming months.
The largest increase was seen in the elderly. Deaths increased by nearly 7% among those aged 45-64 and by more than 8% among those aged 65 and over. According to the CDC, the rate is particularly high among white men.
Dr. Debra Hawley, CDC’s chief medical officer, said many middle-aged and older people are experiencing problems such as unemployment and widowhood, and it is important to reduce stigma and other barriers to getting help for them. said to be important.
Adult suicide rates between the ages of 25 and 44 increased by about 1%. New data show that suicide will become the second leading cause of death in that age group in 2022, up from fourth in 2021.
Some say there is reason for optimism, despite the grim statistics. The National Crisis Response Line started a year ago. This means that anyone in the United States can call 988 and reach out to a mental health professional.
CDC is expanding its suicide program to fund more suicide prevention efforts in various communities. And health officials say there’s a growing awareness of the problem and it’s okay to ask for help.
By 2022, the number of suicides between the ages of 10 and 24 will drop by more than 8%. CDC officials said this may be due to increased attention to mental health issues among young people, and schools and others to focus on the issue.
But even those few numbers hide a tragedy for the family.
Christina Wilbur lost her 21-year-old son, Kale, on June 16, 2016. He died at his home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida.
Cale Wilbur lost two friends and an uncle to suicide and was battling depression. That dreadful morning, he and his mother were arguing. His mother said she questioned him about his drug use. She walked out of his bedroom and when he came back he had a gun.
“I was also asking him not to do that and to calm down,” she said. “He seemed relaxed for a moment, but then he killed himself.”
She has since described her life as a black hole of emptiness and sadness, and said she found it difficult to talk about Kayle, even to friends and family.
“There’s this huge 6-foot-2 hole everywhere,” she said. “Everything is a reminder of what’s missing.”
Finding a professional to help can be difficult and expensive, she said. She turned to a support group. This includes an organization called the Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors, which runs a 24/7 online forum.
“There’s nothing better than being with people who understand it,” she said.
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