Suicide
If you are in crisis, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to anyone. All calls are confidential. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Suicide is a major public health concern. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the United States. Based on recent mortality data, suicide in some populations is on the rise.
Definitions
- Suicide is defined as death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.
- A suicide attempt is a non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior. A suicide attempt might not result in injury.
- Suicidal ideation refers to thinking about, considering, or planning suicide.
Additional information about suicide can be found on the NIMH health topics page on Suicide Prevention.
Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death in the United States
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2019:
- Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 47,500 people.
- Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 44.
- There were nearly two and a half times as many suicides (47,511) in the United States as there were homicides (19,141).
Table 1 shows the ten leading causes of death in the United States, and the number of deaths attributed to each cause. Data are shown for all ages and select age groups where suicide was one of the leading ten causes of death in 2019. The data are based on death certificate information compiled by the CDC.
Table 1
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Rank | 10-14 | 15-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | All Ages |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Unintentional Injury 778 |
Unintentional Injury 11,755 |
Unintentional Injury 24,516 |
Unintentional Injury 24,070 |
Malignant Neoplasms 35,587 |
Malignant Neoplasms 111,765 |
Heart Disease 659,041 |
2 | Suicide 534 |
Suicide 5,954 |
Suicide 8,059 |
Malignant Neoplasms 10,695 |
Heart Disease 31,138 |
Heart Disease 80,837 |
Malignant Neoplasms 599,601 |
3 | Malignant Neoplasms 404 |
Homicide 4,774 |
Homicide 5,341 |
Heart Disease 10,499 |
Unintentional Injury 23,359 |
Unintentional Injury 24,892 |
Unintentional Injury 173,040 |
4 | Homicide 191 |
Malignant Neoplasms 1,388 |
Malignant Neoplasms 3,577 |
Suicide 7,525 |
Liver Disease 8,098 |
CLRD 18,743 |
CLRD 156,979 |
5 | Congenital Anomalies 189 |
Heart Disease 872 |
Heart Disease 3,495 |
Homicide 3,446 |
Suicide 8,012 |
Diabetes Mellitus 15,508 |
Cerebro- vascular 150,005 |
6 | Heart Disease 87 |
Congenital Anomalies 390 |
Liver Disease 1,112 |
Liver Disease 3,417 |
Diabetes Mellitus 6,348 |
Liver Disease 14,385 |
Alzheimer’s Disease 121,499 |
7 | CLRD 81 |
Diabetes Mellitus 248 |
Diabetes Mellitus 887 |
Diabetes Mellitus 2,228 |
Cerebro- vascular 5,153 |
Cerebro- vascular 12,931 |
Diabetes Mellitus 87,647 |
8 | Influenza & Pneumonia 71 |
Influenza & Pneumonia 175 |
Cerebro- vascular 585 |
Cerebro- vascular 1,741 |
CLRD 3,592 |
Suicide 8,238 |
Nephritis 51,565 |
9 | Cerebro- vascular 48 |
CLRD 168 |
Complicated Pregnancy 532 |
Influenza & Pneumonia 951 |
Nephritis 2,269 |
Nephritis 5,857 |
Influenza & Pneumonia 49,783 |
10 | Benign Neoplasms 35 |
Cerebro- vascular 158 |
HIV 486 |
Septicemia 812 |
Septicemia 2,176 |
Septicemia 5,672 |
Suicide 47,511 |
CLRD: Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
Note: Suicide is not among the ten leading causes of death among children in the 0-9 year age group nor in adults in the age group 65 years and older.Suicide Rates
Data in Figure 1 and Figure 2 are courtesy of the CDC ’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS Data Brief No. 398, February 2021)).
Trends over Time
- Suicide rates are based on the number of people who have died by suicide per 100,000 population. When comparing rates from one year to another year, ‘age-adjusted’ rates allow for differences in population age distributions and changes in population size over time to be taken into account.
- Figure 1 shows age-adjusted suicide rates in the United States for each year from 1999 through 2019 for the total population, and for males and females separately.
- The total age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States increased 35.2% from 10.5 per 100,000 in 1999 to 14.2 per 100,000 in 2018, before declining to 13.9 per 100,000 in 2019.
- In 2019, the suicide rate among males was 3.7 times higher (22.4 per 100,000) than among females (6.0 per 100,000).
Figure 1
Year | Total Population | Female | Male |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | 10.5 | 4.0 | 17.8 |
2000 | 10.4 | 4.0 | 17.7 |
2001 | 10.7 | 4.1 | 18.2 |
2002 | 11.0 | 4.2 | 18.5 |
2003 | 10.8 | 4.2 | 18.1 |
2004 | 11.0 | 4.5 | 18.1 |
2005 | 10.9 | 4.4 | 18.1 |
2006 | 11.0 | 4.5 | 18.1 |
2007 | 11.3 | 4.7 | 18.5 |
2008 | 11.6 | 4.8 | 19.0 |
2009 | 11.8 | 4.9 | 19.2 |
2010 | 12.1 | 5.0 | 19.8 |
2011 | 12.3 | 5.2 | 20.0 |
2012 | 12.5 | 5.4 | 20.3 |
2013 | 12.6 | 5.5 | 20.2 |
2014 | 13.0 | 5.8 | 20.7 |
2015 | 13.3 | 6.0 | 21.0 |
2016 | 13.4 | 6.0 | 21.3 |
2017 | 14.0 | 6.1 | 22.4 |
2018 | 14.2 | 6.2 | 22.8 |
2019 | 13.9 | 6.0 | 22.4 |
Demographics
- Crude suicide rate calculations take population size within subgroups in any given year or timeframe into account. They can be a useful tool for understanding the relative proportion of people affected within different demographic groups.
- Figure 2 shows the crude rates of suicide within sex and age categories in 2019.
- Among females, the suicide rate was highest for those aged 45-64 (9.6 per 100,000).
- Among males, the suicide rate was highest for those aged 75 and older (39.9 per 100,000).
Figure 2
Age Group | Female | Male |
---|---|---|
10–14 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
15–24 | 5.5 | 22.0 |
25–44 | 7.4 | 28.0 |
45–64 | 9.6 | 29.9 |
65–74 | 5.9 | 26.4 |
75+ | 4.3 | 39.9 |
- Figure 3 shows the crude rates of suicide for race/ethnicity groups in 2019 based on data from the CDC’s WISQARS Fatal Injury Data Visualization Tool.
- The crude rates of suicide were highest for American Indian, Non-Hispanic males (33.4 per 100,000) and, followed by White, Non-Hispanic males (29.8 per 100,000). Among females the crude rates of suicide were highest for American Indian, Non-Hispanic females (11.1 per 100,000) and White, Non-Hispanic females (8.0 per 100,000).
Figure 3
Race | Female | Male |
---|---|---|
Hispanic* | 3.0 | 11.3 |
White | 8.0 | 29.8 |
Black | 2.9 | 12.4 |
Asian/PI | 4.0 | 11.2 |
AI | 11.1 | 33.4 |
Suicide Rates by State
- Just as state population numbers and age distributions vary, suicide rates can vary widely from state to state. Based on data from the CDC WISQARS Fatal Injury Data Visualization Tool, Figure 4 shows a map of the United States with each state’s age-adjusted suicide rate in 2019 indicated by color.
Figure 4
Website: https://wisqars.cdc.gov:8443/cdcMapFramework/mapModuleInterface.jsp Applied Filters: Suicide All Injury Deaths
States: All States
Race: All Races
Ethnicity: All Ethnicities
Sex: All Sexes
Year Range: 2019-2019
Age Range: All Ages
Suicide by Method
Data in Table 2 and Figure 5 are courtesy of the CDC WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports.
Number of Suicide Deaths by Method
- Table 2 includes information on the total number of suicides for the most common methods.
- In 2019, firearms were the most common method used in suicide deaths in the United States, accounting for a little over half of all suicide deaths (23,941).
Table 2
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Suicide Method | Number of Deaths |
---|---|
Total | 47,511 |
Firearm | 23,941 |
Suffocation | 13,563 |
Poisoning | 6,125 |
Other | 3,882 |
Percent of Suicide Deaths by Method
- Figure 5 shows the percentages of suicide deaths by method among females and males in 2019. Among females, the most common methods of suicide were firearm (31.4%), poisoning (30.0%), and suffocation (29.0%). Among males, the most common methods of suicide were firearm (55.6%) followed by suffocation (28.4%).
Figure 5
Sex | Other | Poisoning | Suffocation | Firearm |
---|---|---|---|---|
Female | 9.6 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 31.4 |
Male | 7.8 | 8.2 | 28.4 | 55.6 |
Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among U.S. Adults
Data in Figure 6, Figure 7, and Figure 8 are based on data from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)1 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
- Figure 6 shows that 4.9% of adults aged 18 and older in the United States had serious thoughts about suicide in 2020.
- Among adults across all age groups, the prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts was highest among young adults aged 18-25 (11.3%).
- The prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts was highest among adults aged 18 and older who report having multiple (two or more) races (11.0%).
Figure 6
Demographic | Percent | |
---|---|---|
Overall | 4.9 | |
Sex | Female | 5.2 |
Male | 4.5 | |
Age | 18-25 | 11.3 |
26-49 | 5.3 | |
50+ | 2.7 | |
Race/Ethnicity | *Hispanic or Latino | 4.2 |
White | 5.3 | |
Black or African American | 3.4 | |
AI/AN | 5.6 | |
NH/OPI | 2.3 | |
Asian | 2.8 | |
2 or More | 11.0 |
* Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; all other racial/ethnic groups are non-Hispanic.
NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander | AI/AN = American Indian / Alaskan Native
- Figure 7 shows that in 2020, 0.5% of adults age 18 and older in the United States report they attempted suicide in in the past year.
- Among adults across all age groups, the prevalence of suicide attempt in the past year was highest among young adults 18-25 years old (1.9%).
- Among adults age 18 and older, the prevalence of suicide attempts in the past year was highest among those who report having multiple (two or more) races (1.2%).
Figure 7
Demographic | Percent | |
---|---|---|
Overall | 0.5 | |
Sex | Female | 0.6 |
Male | 0.4 | |
Age | 18-25 | 1.9 |
26-49 | 0.4 | |
50+ | 0.1 | |
Race/Ethnicity | *Hispanic or Latino | 0.6 |
White | 0.5 | |
Black or African American | 0.3 | |
NH/OPI | 0.9 | |
Asian | 0.1 | |
2 or More | 1.2 |
* Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; all other racial/ethnic groups are non-Hispanic. NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander.
Note: The estimate for American Indian / Alaskan Native group is not reported in the above figure due to low precision of data collection in 2020.
- Figure 8 shows that in 2020, 12.2 million adults aged 18 or older reported having serious thoughts of suicide, and 1.2 million adults attempted suicide during the past year.
Figure 8
Category | Number |
---|---|
Serious thoughts of suicide | 12.2 million |
Made suicide plans | 3.2 million |
Attempted suicide | 1.2 million |
Made plans and attempted suicide | 920,000 |
Made no plans and attempted suicide | 283,000 |
Data Sources
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP21-07-01-003, NSDUH Series H-56). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2020-nsduh-annual-national-report.
Statistical Methods and Measurement Caveats
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
Population:
- NSDUH participants are representative of the civilian, non-institutionalized population aged 12 years old or older residing within the United States. Only adults 18 years and older are asked about suicidal thoughts and behavior.
- The survey covers residents of households (persons living in houses/townhouses, apartments, condominiums; civilians living in housing on military bases, etc.) and persons in non-institutional group quarters (e.g., shelters, rooming/boarding houses, college dormitories, migratory workers' camps, and halfway houses).
- The survey does not cover persons who, for the entire year, had no fixed address (e.g., homeless and/or transient persons not in shelters); were on active military duty; or who resided in institutional group quarters (e.g., correctional facilities, nursing homes, mental institutions, long-term hospitals).
- Sex (i.e., male and female) was recorded by the interviewer.
Interview Response and Completion:
- In 2020, 37.2% of the NSDUH adult sample did not complete the interview.
- Reasons for non-response to interviewing include: refusal to participate (10.7%); respondent unavailable or never at home (22.6%); and various other reasons, such as physical/mental incompetence or language barriers (3.9%).
- People with suicidal behavior may disproportionately fall into these non-response categories. While NSDUH weighting includes non-response adjustments to reduce bias, these adjustments may not fully account for differential non-response by suicide behavior status.
Data Suppression:
- For some groups, data are not reported due to low precision. Data may be suppressed in the above charts if the data do not meet acceptable ranges for prevalence estimates, standard error estimates, and sample size.
Background on the 2020 NSDUH and the COVID-19 Pandemic:
- Data collection methods for the 2020 NSDUH changed in several ways because of the COVID-19 pandemic: In-person data collection was suspended in all areas in mid-March 2020. No data were collected in Quarter 2, and only a small amount of data were collected in Quarter 3. In-person data collection resumed in limited areas in Quarter 4. A new web mode for data collection was offered in all other areas, resulting in 93 percent of Quarter 4 interviews being completed via the web.
- These changes to 2020 NSDUH data collection affected imputation procedures, weighting procedures, presentation of the data, and analysis and interpretation of the data. Given these changes, interpretation of the 2020 NSDUH data must be made with caution.
- New questions were added to the Quarter 4 questionnaire that were relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic
Please see the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Methodological Summary and Definitions report for further information on how these data were collected and calculated.
Last Updated: March 2022
If You are in Crisis
If you are in crisis, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to anyone. All calls are confidential.