The big picture: Suicide rates are increasing in almost every state
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The tragic losses of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain last week — who both took their own lives — drew attention to the broader problem of rising suicide rates around the country.
The big picture: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Thursday that suicide is the nation's 10th leading cause of death — and the most recent collection of data (2014-2016) shows that suicide rates have increased in almost every state since the turn of the century.
- 25 states saw an increase in suicide by more than 30%.
- The rates of increase largely varied. For example, there was an increase of 6% in Delaware, compared to a 57% increase in North Dakota.
- In 2016, 45,000 Americans 10 years or older committed suicide, according to the CDC.
Be smart: More than half of the people that committed suicide didn't have a diagnosed mental health condition, per the CDC. Many causes of suicide include factors like job, money, or legal stresses, relationship problems, substance abuse, loss, and more.
P.S., via the NYT: If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can find a list of additional resources at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
