Suicide Is a Leading Killer in America
The following information about the nature and prevalence of suicide in America may surprise you. The figures below are are an excerpt from the official U.S. suicide statistics for 2009, as compiled by the American Association of Suicidology. Please visit the American Association of Suicidology website to view additional national suicide statistics.
- Average of 1 person every 14.2 minutes killed themselves
- Average of 1 old person every 1 hour and 30 minutes killed themselves
- Average of 1 young person every 2 hours killed themselves. (If the 265 suicides below age 15 are included, 1 young person every 1 hour and 53 minutes)
- 10th ranking cause of death in U.S.
- 3.7 male deaths by suicide for each female death by suicide
- Suicide ranks 10th as a cause of death; Homicide ranks 15th
- 922,725 annual attempts in U.S.
- 3 female attempts for each male attempt
- Based on the 787,761 suicides from 1985 through 2009, estimated that the number of survivors of suicides in the U.S. is 4.73 million (1 of every 65 Americans in 2009); number grew by at least 221,454 in 2009
- If there is a suicide every 14.2 minutes, then there are 6 new survivors every 14.2 minutes as well
