Suicide Prevention

HOTLINES:
If the IS AN EMERGENCY call 911 NOW. Please….

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255   24/7
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’re committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386   24/7       Get Help Now Chat, Text, Call
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

Facts About Suicide (Trevor Project Statistics, unless otherwise stated).

  • Each year 34,598 people die by suicide, and average of 94 completed suicides every day. (Emory University)
  • Every year, 864,950 people attempt suicide, which means 1 person attempts suicide every 38 seconds. (Emory University)
  • Suicide is the eleventh-leading cause of death across all ages. (Emory University)
  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24. [1]
  • Fifty-four percent of completed suicides are done by firearm. (Emory University)
  • The rate of suicide attempts is 4 times greater for LGB youth and 2 times greater for questioning youth than that of straight youth. [2]
  • One in 10 college students has made a plan for suicide. (Emory University)
  • Suicidal thoughts, making plans for suicide, and suicide attempt are higher among adults aged 18-25 than among adults over the age of 26. (Emory University)
  •  Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers. [2]
  • Among those that have major depression, the risk of death by suicide is 20 times greater than those not depressed. (Emory University)
  • In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25. [3]
  • LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection. [4]
  • 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9-12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. [5]
  • Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average. [6]

General Risk Factors for Suicide (Emory University)

  • Depression
  • Hopelessness
  • Anxiety
  • Isolation or lack of social support
  • Alcohol and/or substance abuse
  • Loss (in relationships, socially, financially, or work-related)
  • Previous suicide attempt(s)
  • Family history of suicide
  • Family history of child maltreatment
  • History of mental disorders
  • Access to lethal means
  • Unwillingness to seek help

Risk Factors Specific to College Students (Emory University)

  • New environment
  • Loss of a social network
  • Loss of the safety net found at home
  • Pressure academically or socially
  • Isolation and alienation
  • Lack of coping skills
  • Difficulty adjusting to new demands of college life
  • Decreased academic performance and subsequent feelings of failure
  • Experimentation with drugs and alcohol

Protective Factors    (Emory University)

  • Supportive social and family network
  • Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
  • Ability to regulate emotions
  • Ability to cope
  • Positive view of future
  • Cultural or religious beliefs that discourage suicide
  • Access to mental health care

For more information, check out the following links: Recommended by Emory University

Online resource for mental health – ulifeline.org

American Association of Suicidology – suicidology.org

Suicide Resource Prevention Center – sprc.org

SOURCES:
[1] CDC, NCIPC. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2010) {2013 Aug. 1}.  Available from:www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars.

[2] CDC. (2016). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[3] James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality.

[4] Family Acceptance Project™. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics. 123(1), 346-52.

[5] CDC. (2016). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[6] IMPACT. (2010). Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths. American Journal of Public Health. 100(12), 2426-32.