NORTH CAROLINA — September is National Suicide Prevention Month, with World Suicide Prevention Day observed on Sept. 10 in hopes of raising awareness about the prevalence of suicide, educating the public on warning signs to consider among loved ones and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.
Early suicide prevention awareness efforts date to the 1970s, after the American Association of Suicidology launched Suicide Prevention Week in May 1974 to draw public attention to rising suicide rates in the United States.
According to studies, the overall unadjusted annual suicide rate ranged from a low of 11.6 per 100,000 people in 1970 to a high of 13.1 per 100,000 people in 1977, with more than 287,000 lives lost to suicide in the U.S. between 1970 and 1980.
Suicide rates among teenagers and young adults also rose during that period. Studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that between 1970 and 1978, 39,011 people ages 15 to 24 died by suicide.
According to the National Institutes of Health, certain regions, including the western and southern United States, experienced higher average suicide rates compared with the Northeast and Midwest. Rural areas also tend to experience higher rates than larger cities.
For nearly three decades, Suicide Prevention Week was observed in May. In the early 2000s, the observance shifted to align with global efforts, with September now recognized as Suicide Prevention Month and World Suicide Prevention Day observed on Sept. 10.
According to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 48,824 people died by suicide in the United States in 2024. The age-adjusted suicide rate was 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people, down 2.8% from 14.1 in 2023. Suicide was the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States in 2024.
The suicide rate among males was nearly four times higher than the rate among females. People ages 80 and older had the highest suicide rates in 2024, while adults ages 35 to 64 accounted for nearly half of all suicide deaths in the United States.
There are three important R’s to consider when it comes to suicide awareness and prevention: recognize, respond and refer.
Recognize: Look for warning signs that someone may be struggling, such as expressing thoughts of death or suicide, sudden changes in behavior, extreme mood swings or withdrawing from friends and loved ones.
Respond: Talk to the person directly and ask if they are thinking about suicide. Listen without judgment and take warning signs seriously.
Refer: Connect the person with professional help as soon as possible.
Suicide Prevention Month serves as a reminder to care for one another’s well-being while acting swiftly to help those who may be struggling.
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for 24/7 confidential crisis support.