Suicide rates in the U.S. saw the largest one-year increase in 2021, that’s after two previous years of decline. According to the National Centers for Disease Control, the suicide rate increased by four percent to 14 deaths per 100,000. LSU Health New Orleans Chair of Psychiatry Dr. Rahn Bailey said men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide.
“And they are often persons who’ve been successful in other areas of life early on are maybe the same persons who rather can choose out and reach for mental health assistance try to do it on their own,” said Bailey.
Data collected from 2001 to 2021, the increase of four percent in 2021 was the largest one-year increase on record.
Bailey said men are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs than seek help because of the stigma of mental illness. Women are more likely to report thoughts of suicide, but it’s men who die by suicide four times more often than women. In 2021 more men died by suicide than in any other year since record-keeping began.
Indigenous people have the highest suicide rate at 43 deaths per 100,000 followed by white men at 28 deaths per 100,000.
Bailey said we need to remove the shame of mental illness so those suffering will be more likely to seek help and intervene sooner than later.
“We probably should do a better job proactively, engaging persons early when they show small signs of difficulty before they grow and become worse,” said Bailey.
Last summer the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline switched to the three-digit number of 988. From July to December 988 received more than two million calls and/or texts, just under 900 thousand more than the same period in 2021. Bailey said he hopes there’s an increase in authentic calls to the line from those who are in real need.
“Early and on target for that issue so that person doesn’t go a long period of time without professional effective intervention,” said Bailey.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, half of all suicides involve a gun.
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