2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis

2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis

Introduction

ABOUT THIS POST: 2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis provides a comprehensive overview of suicide facts and figures, highlighting the urgent need for increased awareness and accessible mental health resources. The post includes quotes from leading suicide epidemiologists and researchers, emphasizing the complexities surrounding mental health and suicide. The blog, My Forever Son, explores the author’s journey of grief and healing after losing a child to suicide, offering solace and understanding to others facing similar circumstances.

Trends and Demographics HighIight the Need for Increased Awareness and Accessible Mental Health Resources

By meticulously examining trends and demographics, this post aims to enhance our understanding of the underlying causes that contribute to the crisis, while also offering valuable insights into prevention strategies. Furthermore, it highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and accessible mental health resources, as we strive to address the complexities surrounding suicide and ultimately foster a supportive environment for those in need.

Pertinent Quotes By Leading Suicide Epidemiologists, Researchers, and Authors About the Complexities Surrounding Mental Health and Suicide

2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis goes beyond mere numbers, offering a host of compelling information that includes pertinent quotes by leading suicide epidemiologists, researchers, and authors who have dedicated their careers to understanding the complexities surrounding mental health and suicide.

About My Forever Son Blog

More than a decade ago, I lost my 20-year-old son, my only child, to suicide. I’ve been searching ever since for an answer as to why he died by suicide. Dylan had a promising future: he was a sophomore on a full academic scholarship to a prestigious university; he loved playing and composing on guitar and piano; he had grown up in a tight-knit group of good friends who reflected the warmth and joy he brought to others.

This blog, My Forever Son: Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide, came about in 2015. By that time, I was three years deep into the tumultuous journey of grief. I had reached a critical point in my life where I made a conscious decision to want to learn how to live again, despite the immense weight of my loss. During those painful years, I began journaling as a way to navigate through the grief and despair that enveloped me. Each entry became a cathartic release, a means to process my emotions and reflect on my memories of Dylan.

Glimpses of Hope and Healing Along the Way

As I moved forward, I documented not just my sorrow but also my small glimpses of hope and healing. I wrote about the good days, the bad days, and everything in between, sharing not just my experiences but also insights I gained along the way. My aim was to create a space where others could find solace, understanding, and perhaps even connection in their own journeys.

The blog serves as a reminder that healing is possible, even from such profound loss. It is a testament to the enduring love I have for my son and the lessons I’ve learned about resilience, compassion, and the importance of seeking support in life’s darkest moments. Through sharing my story, I hope to offer comfort to others who find themselves in similar circumstances, reinforcing that they are not alone in their struggles.

Related Reads

Featured Read: Is Suicide Really a Choice? Breaking the Stigma

• Suicide is Not a Choice: Surviving Your Child’s Suicide
• Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide: A Parent’s Guide
• Understanding Suicide: It’s Not About Wanting to Die; It’s About Wanting the Pain to Stop
• Understanding Suicide Myths: Facts and Insights
• Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

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My Forever Son

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“Suicide Defines the Moment in Which Mental Pain Exceeds the Human Capacity to Bear It”

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There is no suffering greater than that which drives people to suicide; suicide defines the moment in which mental pain exceeds the human capacity to bear it.

John T. Maltsberger, M.D., past president of the American Association of Suicidology, practicing psychiatrist, and teacher at Harvard Medical School.

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If You’ve Lost A Child to Suicide

• If you’ve lost a child to suicide, The Compassionate Friends offers a heartfelt resource for parents navigating this unimaginable loss: “Surviving Your Child’s Suicide.” This guide provides essential support, coping strategies, and a compassionate community to help you through your grief journey.

• AFSP, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention provides numerous resources for where to turn after losing a loved one to suicide. AFSP is “dedicated to advancing knowledge of suicide and the ability to prevent it, and in supporting those who are bereaved after suicide loss.” (AFSP Mission Statement) The organization is committed to engaging in research, fostering education, and promoting community awareness to ensure that individuals affected by the tragedy of suicide have access to the necessary support and information.

• Additional Facts and Statistics can be found at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This information, which is crucial for understanding the context around mental health, is presented in a detailed manner and can be explored further at AFSP. The extensive resources available provide a comprehensive look at the facts and figures that shape awareness and action around suicide awareness and prevention.

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2023 Key Suicide Facts and Statistics

• More than 720 000 people die due to suicide every year.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.
• Seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.
• The reasons for suicide are multi-faceted, influenced by social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors present across the life-course. 
• For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide. A prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population.

World Health Organization, March 25, 2025 (WHO provides detailed charts, graphics, facts, statistics, and data about countries around the world.)

Analyzing the 2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis

Overview

Full Citations for these statistics and data Appear at the End of This Column.)

Every year 727 000 people take their own life and there are many more people who make suicide attempts. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2021.

Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, close to three quarters (73%) of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2021.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that requires a public health response. With timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions, suicides can be prevented. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

Who is at risk?

The link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders) and a previous suicide attempt is well established in high-income countries. However, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship disputes, or chronic pain and illness.

In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour. Suicide rates are also high among vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons; and prisoners.

Prevention and control

There are several measures that can be taken at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and self-harm. LIVE LIFE, WHO’s initiative for suicide prevention, recommends the following key effective evidence-based interventions:

• limit access to the means of suicide (e.g. pesticides, firearms, certain medications);
• interact with the media for responsible reporting of suicide;
• foster socio-emotional life skills in adolescents; and
• early identify, assess, manage and follow up anyone who is affected by suicidal behaviours.

These need to go hand-in-hand with the following foundational pillars: situation analysis, multisectoral collaboration, awareness raising, capacity building, financing, surveillance and monitoring and evaluation.

Suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics and the media. These efforts must be comprehensive and integrated given the multifaceted nature of suicide.

Challenges and obstacles

Stigma and taboo

Stigma, particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide, means many people thinking of taking their own life or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need. The prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to a lack of awareness of suicide as a major public health problem and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it. To date, only a few countries have included suicide prevention among their health priorities and only 38 countries report having a national suicide prevention strategy.

Raising community awareness and breaking down the taboo is important for countries to make progress in preventing suicide.

Data quality

Globally, the availability and quality of data on suicide and self-harm is poor. Only some 80 WHO Member States have good-quality vital registration data that can be used directly to estimate suicide rates. This problem of poor-quality mortality data is not unique to suicide, but given the stigma surrounding suicide – and the illegality of suicidal behaviour in some countries – it is likely that under-reporting and misclassification are greater problems for suicide than for most other causes of death.

Improved surveillance and monitoring of suicide and self-harm are required for effective suicide prevention strategies. Cross-national differences in the patterns of suicide, and changes in the rates, characteristics and methods of suicide, highlight the need for each country to improve the comprehensiveness, quality and timeliness of their suicide-related data. This includes vital registration of suicide, hospital-based registries of self-harm and nationally representative surveys collecting information about self-reported self-harm.

WHO response

The urgency to act to prevent suicides has been recognized and prioritized at the highest levels. The reduction of the suicide rate is an indicator in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (the only indicator for mental health), WHO’s General Programme of Work and WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030. 

The first WHO world suicide report, Preventing suicide: a global imperative, published in 2014, aimed to increase the awareness of the public health significance of suicide and suicide attempts and to make suicide prevention a high priority on the global public health agenda. It also aimed to encourage and support countries to develop or strengthen comprehensive national suicide prevention strategies through a multisectoral public health approach.

In 2021, WHO launched LIVE LIFE: an implementation guide for suicide prevention in countries. Accompanying resources to support the implementation of the four key LIVE LIFE interventions have also been published including the 2024 brochure on Preventing suicide by phasing out highly hazardous pesticides to support limiting access to means, Preventing suicide: a resource for media professionals, update 2023 to encourage responsible reporting of suicide, and the Helping Adolescents Thrive toolkit to foster socio-emotional life-skills among young people. At the health sector level, suicide/self-harm is one of the priority conditions in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), which provides evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. The mhGAP Intervention Guide (‎mhGAP-IG)‎ includes a specific module for suicide and self-harm to support early identification, assessment, management and follow-up. Through the LIVE LIFE initiative, governments are encouraged and supported to implement a suite of evidence-based interventions and foundational pillars for suicide prevention.

The Startling Truth Behind Every 11 Minutes

U.S.A. SUICIDE: 2023 OFFICIAL FINAL DATA

(See the American Association of Suicidology for extensive data, graphics, charts, and statistics)

Fatal Outcomes (Suicides): a 0.7% rate decrease was seen from 2022 to 2023 • most groups decreased; increases for Black/African American both sexes

• Average of 1 person every 10.7 minutes died by suicide —1 male every 13.5 minutes, 1 female every 51.2 minutes

• Average of 1 older adult every 50.4 minutes died by suicide; Average of 1 middle aged adult every 34.0 minutes

• Average of 1 young person every 1 hour and 28.5 minutes died by suicide. (If the 487 suicides below age 15 are included,

1 young person every 1 hour and 21.8 minutes) Leading Causes of Death 15-24 yrs

• 11th ranking cause of death in U.S.— 2nd for young 

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Cause Number Rate

• 3.80 male deaths by suicide for each female death by suicide. All Causes 33,711 76.8

• Suicide ranks 11th as a cause of death; Homicide ranks 16th

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| 1-Accidents 14,126 32.2

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Nonfatal Outcomes (Attempt Survivors§) (figures are estimates): | 2-Suicide 5,936 13.5

• 2023 SAMHSA study: 1.5 million adults (age 18 and up) and 856,000 adolescents (12-17 years old) | 3-Homicide 5,745 13.1

• 2023 SAMHSA study: a total of 2,356,000 self-reported suicide attempts (adults and adolescents) | 10-14 yrs 481 2.3

• Translates to 1 every 21.0 seconds for adults, 1 every 36.8 seconds for adolescents, 1 every 13.4 seconds for ages ≥12 | 15-19 yrs 2,156 9.8

• 3 female attempts for each male attempt | 20-24 yrs 3,780 17.3

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Postvention (Exposure and Survivors of Suicide Loss)

Exposed (“Affected”) – those who “know” someone personally who has died by suicide † (figures are estimates)

°Recent (Cerel et al,, 2019) research-based estimate suggests that for each suicide death à135 people are exposed (for 2023, 6.7 million

annually) – among the exposed there are subgroups with a variety of effect levels (see Cerel et al., 2014) – as many as 40-50% of the

population have been exposed to suicide in their lifetime based on a 2016 representative sample’s results (Feigelman et al., 2017)

Suicide Loss Survivors (those bereaved of suicide – definition below): † (figures are estimates) [Subgroup of “Exposed” above]

°Survivors of Suicide Loss = experience high levels of distress for a considerable length of time after exposure (Jordan & McIntosh, 2011)

°Among those exposed to a death by suicide, more than 6 experience a major life disruption (loss survivors; a low, non-research based estimate see Cerel et al., 2019)

• If each suicide has devastating effects and intimately affects > 6 other people, there are over 295,000 loss survivors a year

• Based on the 985,772 suicides from 1999 through 2023, therefore, the number of survivors of suicide loss in the U.S. is

more than 5.9 million (1 of every 57 Americans in 2023); number grew by more than 295,896 in 2023

• If there is a suicide every 10.7 minutes, then there are more than 6 new loss survivors every 10.7 minutes as well

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Suicide Methods Number Rate Percent of Total Number Rate Percent of Total

Firearm suicides (1st) 27,300 8.2 55.4% All but Firearms 22,016 6.6 44.6%

Suffocation/Hanging (2nd) 12,023 3.6 24.4% Fall (4th) 1,297 0.4 2.6%

Poisoning (3rd) 5,944 1.8 12.1% All Other Means 2,752 0.8 5.6%

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U.S.A. Suicide Rates 2013-2023 || 15 Leading Causes of Death in the U.S.A., 2023

Group/ (Rates per 100,000 population) Group/ || (total of 3,090,964 deaths; 922.9 rate)

• Older adults made up 17.7% of 2023 population, but 21.2% of suicides • Young made up 13.1% of 2023 population and 12.0% of suicides •

• Middle Aged made up 24.6% of the 2023 population, but were 31.4% of suicides •

1,395,220* Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) Before Age 75 (44,340 of 49,316 suicides are below age 75)

* alternate YPLL figure: 1,389,628 using individual years in calculations rather than 10-year age groups as above.

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Many figures appearing here are derived or calculated from data in the following official data sources: downloaded 13 January 2025 from CDC’s WONDER website:

https://wonder.cdc.gov. • Other references cited on this page are listed on the State Data Page. •

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suicide rate = (number of suicides by group / population of group) X 100,000 Prepared and © by Christopher W. Drapeau, Ph.D. & John L. McIntosh, Ph.D. Suicide Data Page: 2023

14 January 2025

§ Alternate terms = Survivors of Suicide Attempts or those with Lived Experience (of suicide attempt)Rate, Number, and Ranking of Suicide for Each U.S.A. State*, 2023

Suggested citation: Drapeau, C. W., & McIntosh, J. L. (2025). U.S.A. suicide: 2023 Official final data. Washington, DC: National

Council for Suicide Prevention (NCSP), dated January 14, 2025, downloaded from [https://www.thencsp.org/suicide-statistics].

Members of the National Council for Suicide Prevention are: Active Minds • American Association of Suicidology •American Foundation for Suicide Prevention • The Jason Foundation, Inc. • The Jed Foundation • Samaritans USA • The Trevor Project

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These sheets posted online at:

https://www.thencsp.org/suicide-statistics &

Other suicide data, and an archive of state data, appear at the website:

https://jmcintos.pages.iu.edu/SuicideDataCompiled.htm

References from previous page

SAMHSA 2023 study (2024): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

(2024). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from

the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP23-07-01-

021, NSDUH Series H-59). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and

Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved July 30,

2024 from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-nsduh-annual-national-report

† Cerel, J., McIntosh, J. L., Neimeyer, R. A., Maple, M., & Marshall, D. (2014). The

continuum of “survivorship”: Definitional issues in the aftermath of suicide. Suicide &

Life-Threatening Behavior, 44(6), 591-600.

Cerel, J., Brown, M. M., Maple, M., Singleton, M., van de Venne, J., Moore, M., & Flaherty,

C. (2019). How many people are exposed to suicide? Not six. Suicide and Life-Threatening

Behavior, 49(2), 529-534. doi: 10.1111.sltb.12450

Feigelman, W., Cerel, J., McIntosh, J. L., Brent, D., & Gutin, N. (2017). Suicide exposures and

bereavement among American adults: Evidence from the 2016 General Social Survey.

Journal of Affective Disorders, 227, 1-6. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.09.056

Jordan, J. R., & McIntosh, J. L. (Eds.). (2011). Grief after suicide: Understanding the

consequences and caring for the survivors. New York: Routledge.

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Suicide Research: Instrumental in Breaking the Stigma; Implementing Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Schools; and Dispelling the Myths

• Understanding Suicide: the amount of suicide research is increasing and ongoing
• Collecting Suicide Research: the quality, quantity, and caliber of suicide research is vast
• Implementing Suicide Awareness and Prevention: is being introduced and implemented in school systems amongst teachers, students, and administrative staff
• Studying Why: suicide epidemiologists are studying why suicides amongst children ages 10-14 are increasing
• Breaking the Stigma of Suicide: the news media and public are Being educated more about death by suicide
• Ongoing Efforts to Change How We Talk about Suicide: Semantics are everything–Efforts are ongoing to change “commit suicide” to “died by suicide.”

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Staggering Statistics about Suicide in the United States

When people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed, their options appear spare or nonexistent, their mood is despairing and hopelessness permeates their entire mental domain.

Kaye Redfield Jamison, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide

A Deep Dive Into the Crisis: These are Staggering Statistics for Suicide

These are staggering statistics. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. And these statistics are from 2018. Much has happened since: A global pandemic, especially, forcing isolation in a world where life is lived connected. Mental illness rates have increased as have suicide statistics, but the Center for Disease Control collects data in retrospect, culling numbers from the previous year. We will not know the fallout from 2020 until at least next year.

And even though it is August 2025 as I compile these statistics from 2023, this lag time in reporting is representative of how far behind facts and statistics about suicide can be, often leaving families and communities without the most current information necessary for prevention and intervention efforts.

This delay can create a disconnection between the actual circumstances surrounding mental health crises and the data available to public health officials and policymakers, hindering their ability to respond effectively.

As the understanding of mental health evolves, there is an urgent need to ensure that we are working with the latest insights and trends, so that we may develop more effective strategies for outreach and support. Thus, the gap in time not only reflects the challenge of gathering accurate data but also highlights the importance of timely communication and community awareness in addressing this pressing issue.

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Additional Facts about Suicide in the United States

The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2018 was 14.2 per 100,000 individuals.

The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.

In 2018, men died by suicide 3.56x more often than women.

On average, there are 132 suicides per day.

White males accounted for 69.67% of suicide deaths in 2018.

In 2018, firearms accounted for 50.57% of all suicide deaths.

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“Don’t Say It’s Selfish: Suicide Is Not a Choice”

Feb 15, 2024

John Ackerman, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist

Center for Suicide Prevention and Research; Nationwide Children’s Hospital

More than ever before, people understand that caring for our mental health is as important as caring for our physical health. However, there is still much work that needs to be done to break stigmas that contribute to unnecessary shame and misunderstanding of mental illness. 

Despite strides in understanding that emotional difficulties are not personal shortcomings or a sign of weakness, many continue to believe that mental illness is the result of poor decisions. For example, some people still believe that engaging in suicidal behavior is a personal “choice.” This is often followed by the unfair assumption that “suicide is a selfish choice.” 

One might reasonably ask, “Given the unbearable loss and pain felt by those left behind, how can suicide not be considered selfish?” 

First, we often underestimate how many factors contribute to an outcome as complex and final as suicide. Those who experience the kind of emotional pain associated with suicide do not typically want to die; they wish for an end to unbearable emotional pain and, often, the resources that allow them to hold on aren’t available. Individuals who struggle with thoughts of suicide usually have a hard time thinking flexibly and their ability to see an end to pain and a life worth living is greatly compromised. 

Second, viewing suicide as a choice promotes the misunderstanding that people who engage in suicidal behavior are selfish. Selfishness has been defined by Merriam-Webster as “seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.” Suicide does not generate pleasure, advantage or well-being. People who take their own lives commonly feel like a burden to others or experience intense emotional pain that overwhelms their capacity to continue with life. Making others feel guilty is typically the furthest thing from their mind. 

Third, a choice usually involves making a selection based on multiple factors or preferences. Sadly, an inability to make rational, life-affirming decisions is a hallmark of suicidal thinking. Intense emotion pain, hopelessness and a narrowed, negative view of the future interferes with balanced decision-making. A person may believe they are making the best decision among their options, but it certainly isn’t reflective of all possible choices. What makes this more challenging is that those choices may not be accessible until the crisis has resolved. 

These are some additional variables that impact whether a suicide occurs – little of which have to do with choice:

• Access to highly lethal means during a crisis, such as firearms
• Availability and awareness of crisis supports to delay action – personal and community connections influence whether one has the opportunity to find hope and recovery

Why does reframing suicide as something different from a “choice” matter? It matters because those struggling with thoughts of suicide need all of us to understand that they don’t want to be in a place of overwhelming pain. They would typically rather be alive and living without that pain, and viewing their condition and behaviors as a choice only adds to the burden they already carry. 

It takes practice to empathize with someone who feels like death is a better option than life in a given moment. One has to be able to refrain from judgment, understand that suicide is not a personal weakness or someone’s “fault,” and recognize that suicide is often a product of mental health and environmental variables that we don’t fully comprehend. 

It can be hard for us to approach such extreme pain with a sense of compassion and curiosity. We would rather rely on simple explanations like “if we had just done this,” “if the parents had done a better job,” or “if he or she didn’t get bullied.” Suicide is nearly always more complex than that, but because answers are elusive and the trauma and loss remain for many years, we look for clarity. 

Stigma and discrimination make it less likely that those who stand to benefit from mental health treatment receive it. Too many people blame themselves for feeling depressed or like life is no longer worth living – they struggle to live rich and meaningful lives because of it. 

We need to reduce, not increase, the burden on those who struggle with thoughts of suicide. Breaking down stigma is a key to opening conversations, getting help and emerging from those struggles. Let’s commit to viewing people in emotional crisis similarly to those with a physical injury – with care, compassion and a plan for recovery.

If you or your child need immediate help due to having suicidal thoughts, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. If there is an immediate safety concern, call 911 or go the nearest emergency room.

John Ackerman, Ph.D, “Don’t Say It’s Selfish; Suicide is Not a Choice,” Nationwide Child’ren’s Hospital, Center for

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Understanding Suicide: Key Facts and Statistics

Suicide is a serious public health concern, a crisis globally and within the United States 

Here’s some information based on recent data:

United States Data:

• Mortality: In 2023, nearly 50,000 people died by suicide.
• Leading Cause of Death: Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death overall in the US in 2023.
• Age and Sex:
  • Suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 10-14 and 25-34 in 2022.
  • Suicide was the third leading cause of death for ages 15-24 in 2022.
  • Males have significantly higher suicide rates than females; in 2023, men died by suicide 3.8 times more than women.
  • In 2022, the suicide rate among males was four times higher (22.9 per 100,000) than among females (5.9 per 100,000).
• Attempts and Ideation:
  • In 2023, an estimated 1.5 million adults attempted suicide.
  • In the past year (2023), 12.8 million adults seriously considered suicide.
• Racial/Ethnic Disparities: Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people and non-Hispanic White people had the highest suicide rates in 2023. 

Global data (2021)

• Mortality: Globally, an estimated 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021.
• Age: Suicide was the third leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds globally.
• Regional Differences: 73% of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
• Risk Factors: The reasons for suicide are complex and include social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors. 

Important considerations

• Risk Factors: These can include mental health conditions (especially depression), substance use, a history of trauma or abuse, prolonged stress, chronic illness, access to lethal means, and social isolation.
• Warning Signs: Individuals considering suicide may exhibit increased alcohol and drug use, aggressive behavior, withdrawal, dramatic mood swings, impulsive behavior, or talk about feeling like a burden.
• Prevention: Suicide [can be, but isn’t always] preventable. Interventions can include limiting access to lethal means, responsible media reporting, fostering emotional resilience in youth, and early identification and support for those at risk. 

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In 2023, Firearms accounted for slightly more than half (50.54%) of all suicide deaths

Over 950,000 years of potential life were lost to suicide before age 65.

Firearms accounted for slightly more than half (50.54%) of all suicide deaths.

Suicide deaths and attempts cost $69 billion in combined work-loss and medical cost.

10.3% of Americans have thought about suicide

54% of Americans have been affected by suicide

Men died by suicide 3.6x more often than women. Women were 1.4x more likely to attempt suicide.

48,344 Americans died by suicide.

Second (2nd) leading cause of death for ages 10-34

Fourth (4th) leading cause of death for ages 35-54

In 2017, the suicide rate was 1.5x higher for Veterans than for non-Veteran adults over the age of 18.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. All facts and statistics information provided by the CDC, 2018 Fatal Injury Reports (accessed from www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal.html on 3/1/20). Find additional citation information at afsp.org/statistics.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “suicide rates have increased by 30% since 1999”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “suicide rates have increased by 30% since 1999. Nearly 45,000 lives were lost to suicide in 2016 alone. Comments or thoughts about suicide — also known as suicidal ideation — can begin small like, “I wish I wasn’t here” or “Nothing matters.” But over time, they can become more explicit and dangerous.”

NAMI, National Alliance for Mental Illness

Need Help? Know Someone Who Does?

Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• Call 988 (Formerly 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
• Use the https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
• For more information about resources to help, visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support resources are available at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/

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Know the Suicide Warning Signs

Thoughts of suicide can stem from feelings that life is no longer worth living. They may include either thoughts of wanting to die without a specific plan or specific thoughts and ways to harm oneself.

Below are important warning signs that a person may be at increased risk for suicide:

• Expressing that they feel like a burden
• Isolation
• Increased anxiety
• Feeling trapped or in unbearable physical or mental pain
• Increased substance use
• Looking for a way to access lethal means (such as online searches to buy a gun)
• Increased anger or rage
• Extreme mood swings
• Expressing hopelessness
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Talking or posting on social media about wanting to die
• Making plans for suicide (such as giving away prized possessions)

Circumstances that increase suicide risk

Individual Risk Factors

These personal factors contribute to risk:

• Previous suicide attempt
• History of depression and other mental illnesses
• Serious illness such as chronic pain
• Criminal/legal problems
• Job/financial problems or loss
• Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
• Substance use
• Current or prior history of adverse childhood experienc
• Sense of hopelessness
• Violence victimization and/or perpetration

Relationship Risk Factors

These harmful or hurtful experiences within relationships contribute to risk:

• Bullying
• Family/loved one’s history of suicide
• Loss of relationships
• High conflict or violent relationships
• Social isolation

Community Risk Factors

These challenging issues within a person’s community contribute to risk:

• Lack of access to healthcare
• Suicide cluster in the community
• Stress of acculturation
• Community violence
• Historical trauma
• Discrimination

Societal Risk Factors

These cultural and environmental factors within the larger society contribute to risk:

• Stigma associated with help-seeking and mental illness
• Easy access to lethal means of suicide among people at risk
• Unsafe media portrayals of suicide

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Let’s Dispel the Myths About Suicide

Myth 1: Talking about suicide increases the chance a person will act on it.

Fact: Talking about suicide may reduce, rather than increase, suicidal ideation. It improves mental health-related outcomes and the likelihood that the person will seek treatment. Opening this conversation helps people find an alternative view of their existing circumstances.

Myth 2: People who talk about suicide are just seeking attention.

Fact: People who die from suicide have often told someone about not wanting to live anymore or that they don’t see the future. It’s always important to take it seriously when somebody talks about feeling suicidal.
It’s important to be kind and sensitive and ask direct questions, including:
“Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
“Are you thinking about suicide?”
“Do you have access to weapons or other objects to harm yourself?”

Myth 3: Suicide can’t be prevented.

Fact: Suicide is preventable but unpredictable. Most people who contemplate suicide often experience intense emotional pain, hopelessness and have a negative view of life or their future. Suicide is a product of genes, mental health illnesses and environmental risk factors. Interventions targeted to treat psychiatric and substance-use illnesses can save lives.

Myth 4: People who take their own lives are selfish, cowardly or weak.

Fact: People don’t die of suicide by choice. Often, people who die of suicide experience significant emotional pain and find it difficult to consider different views or see a way out of their situation. Even though the reasons behind suicide are quite complex, suicide is commonly associated with psychiatric illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance use.

Myth 5: Teenagers and college students are the most at risk for suicide.

Fact: The suicide rate for this age group is below the national average. The age groups with the highest suicide rate in the U.S. are women 45–64 and men 75 and older. Although certain groups may be at higher risk, suicide is a problem among all ages and groups.

Myth 6: Barriers on bridges, safe firearm storage and other actions that reduce access to lethal methods of suicide don’t work.

Fact: Limiting access to lethal means of harm, such as firearms, is one of the most straightforward strategies to decrease the chances of suicide. Many suicide attempts are a result of impulsive decisions. Separating someone from a lethal means could provide a person with some time to think before harming themselves.

Myth 7: Suicide always occurs without warning.

Fact: There are almost always warning signs before a suicide attempt.

Here are a few common signs:

• Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence.
• Changing regular routine, including eating or sleeping patterns.
• Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above.
• Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly.
• Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation.
• Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills.
• Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there is no other logical explanation for doing this.
• Having mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next.
• Increasing use of alcohol or drugs.
• Saying goodbye to people as if they won’t be seen again.
• Talking about suicide — making statements such as, “I’m going to kill myself,” “I wish I were dead” or “I wish I hadn’t been born.”
• Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone.

Myth 8: Talk therapy and medications don’t work.

Fact: Treatment can and does work. One of the best ways to prevent suicide is by getting treatment for mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar illness or substance abuse, and learning ways to cope with problems. Finding the best treatment can take some time, but the proper treatment can significantly reduce the risk of suicide.

Mayo Clinic, 8 common myths about suicide, SPEAKING OF HEALTH

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2024

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2023 Suicide Statistics Tell a Story of Crisis in the United States

Below are data about suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts in the United States:

• In 2023, suicide was one of the eight leading causes of death in the US for people aged 10-64.
• In 2023, the overall number of deaths by suicide in the US was over 49,000.
• Suicides outnumbered homicides in the US from 2011–⁠2020.
• In 2023, 12.8 million people reported seriously considering suicide.
• In 2023, 1.5 million reported a suicide attempt.
• In 2023, suicide rates ranged from 2.31 per 100,000 among youth ages 10–14 years to 22.66 per 100,000 among people 85 years and older.

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Disparities in Suicide

Learn how and why certain populations are disproportionately impacted by suicide.

Risk and Protective Factors

Risk and protective factors affect an individual’s chances of positive or negative outcomes, such as suicide. These factors occur at multiple levels of influence—such as the individual, relationship, community, and greater societal levels.

Listed below are the effective suicide prevention interventions needed to address these factors at all levels:

• Individual-level risks include untreated mental illness and substance misuse, while protective factors for suicide at this level include problem-solving and coping skills, positive self-esteem, and a sense of purpose in life.
• Relationship-level risks include family conflict, knowing someone who died by suicide (particularly a family members), and social isolation; protective factors include family connectedness and supportive friendships.
• Community-level risks involve community violence, historical trauma, and access to lethal means; and protective factors include access to behavioral health services, community or cultural beliefs that discourage suicide, and connectedness to community and social institutions.
• Societal-level risks include stigma, racism, and discrimination, while examples of protective factors include cultural identification and policies such as anti-discrimination laws.

Let’s Focus on Mental Health: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Mental health continues to pose a challenge to millions of people. In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes—and for people aged 10-34 years, suicide is a leading cause of death.

Mental health challenges can affect anyone. People who suffered trauma may face a higher risk. For example, military service members and veterans face higher rates of suicide than the general population. Understand the options you have to face your mental health struggles and get the support you need.

Call the new 988 Lifeline

The “988” Suicide and Crisis Lifeline officially launched in 2022, giving anyone with a phone in the United States immediate access to mental health resources.

Like “911,” the new “988” provides an easy-to-remember three-digit number that people can call during an emergency. The number connects you with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. There, the caller will get immediate help from one of more than 200 crisis centers.

If your situation is life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. If you or someone you know is suicidal or in emotional distress, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately. Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Help yourself and the ones you love

Those who need help for themselves or a loved one should know the government provides many resources in addition to 988. 

MentalHealth.gov provides information, programs, and best practices about mental health. Resources include:

• How to find a facility in your area
• Warning signs for loved ones and family members
• Tips for talking about mental health
• What recovery can look like

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also shares valuable resources for those in need. The VA works with retired service members and supports the specific needs related to their military experience. This includes help for post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helps those battling substance addiction and other health emergencies. They operate treatment centers around the U.S. and operate a national helpline. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to speak directly with a counselor.

Take the time to speak with those you care about about mental health. No matter what you’re going through, connect with loved ones, medical professionals, and community organizations for the help you need. You never need to feel like you have to take on the world alone.

LAST UPDATED: February 10, 2025

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Summary

The “2023 Suicide Statistics: A Deep Dive Into the Crisis” report highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and accessible mental health resources. The report, which includes quotes from leading suicide epidemiologists and researchers, provides a comprehensive overview of suicide facts and figures. The blog, My Forever Son, explores the author’s journey of grief and healing after losing a child to suicide, offering solace and understanding to others facing similar circumstances.

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Beth Brown, Author

About the Author

Beth Brown is a writer, educator, and bereaved mother who shares her journey of healing after losing her only son, Dylan, to suicide. Through poetry, essays, and her blog My Forever Son, Beth offers comfort and hope to others navigating grief, honoring the enduring bond between parent and child and celebrating the small joys that illuminate the path toward healing.

Meet the Author: Writing Through the Abyss

by Beth Brown

There are places that cannot be mapped, only entered—terrains of loss where language falters and the heart, stripped of its certainties, must learn to speak again. I am Beth Brown, a mother whose son, Dylan, died by suicide at twenty. My life, once measured by the ordinary rhythms of teaching literature and nurturing a child, was pierced in two: before and after. In the aftermath, I found myself wandering a wilderness where time bent, memory ached, and the world’s colors dimmed to the hush of grief.

On baby’s breath and angel wings,
You bring me love yet still,
— “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings”

I did not choose to become a chronicler of sorrow, but grief, relentless and unbidden, pressed its ink into my hands. I wrote because I could not bear the silence. I wrote because the ache demanded witness. In poetry, I found a way to hold both the weight of absence and the persistence of love—a language for the unspeakable, a vessel for memory, a place where my son’s name could still be spoken.

He left too soon,
Lifting life from June,
Casting torrents of rain.
— “He Left Too Soon”

There are nights when the world tilts, and I am returned to the moment of loss, the fracture that remade me. Yet even in the deepest dark, I have learned to listen for the faint music of hope, the pulse of love that endures beyond death.

Beat still my heart,
Beat still my mind,
Weary though thou art,
Carry his love along with thine,
Though heavy on thy shoulders
Crost fields throughout all time.
— “Beat Still My Heart”

My poems are not answers. They are offerings—fragments of a life lived in the shadow of absence, pieced together with longing and the fierce, unyielding devotion of a mother’s heart. They are the record of a journey through the labyrinth of grief, where each turn reveals both the ache of what is lost and the quiet radiance of what remains.

My child sleeps in a cradle of stars,
Gently rocked by the moon
Lullabies in his heart,
Heavens in galaxies swirl round to the sound
Of a mother and child’s love beating on.

Meteor showers, on the darkest of nights,
Bring comfort and joy to my child’s delight,
Aurora Borealis tints sky blue and green,
Where my child remembers his mother in dreams.

–“Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”

There are questions that haunt the bereaved: Could I have known? Could I have saved you? The mind circles these unanswerable riddles, but the heart, battered and tender, learns to rest in the mystery.

I’d have reached right in to your dark night’s soul—
I would have held on, I would have clutched you,
I would have never let you go
But you told me “Mom I love you”
Oh my child, if I’d only known.
— “Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon”

In the landscape of loss, I have discovered that love is not diminished by death. It is transformed—becoming both ache and solace, shadow and light, the filament that binds the living to the lost.

Body, mind, soul, rough and ragged,
Weeping tears falling still throughout time,
Carrying weight of mourning and grieving
Falling broken when thou wert mine.
— “Beat Still My Heart”

I write for those who walk this wilderness with me—for the mothers and fathers, siblings and friends, whose lives have been marked by the unthinkable. My hope is that in these poems, you will find not only the echo of your own sorrow, but also the quiet assurance that you are not alone.

Starlight for a mobile twinkling ‘ere so bright,
To remember his mother that darkest of nights,
When slipped he from her grasp and fell through this earth,
Tumbling still planets, sun, folding time in rebirth.
— “Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”

That we might understand we cannot separate mental illness from physical illness and that try as we might, we cannot see inside another’s pain.

–“Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand”

And how my heart keeps on beating
Is a mystery to all,
For without you beside me
Through life’s depth I crawl.

I live now life backwards
My heart beating in time,
To the life that we lived
When you, child, were mine.

Try as I might
I can’t seem to live,
For my dreams all belonged,
To your future forward lived.

—“Bury My Heart”

If you have come here searching for words to companion your grief, I welcome you. My poetry is not a map, but a lantern—casting light on the path we walk, together and alone, toward a horizon where love, undiminished, endures.

But boughs break and love falls through the cracks in the earth,
And the centre can’t hold when orbits, slung far, break their girth,
Gravitational interference, passing stars in the night,
Jetting orbs, falling stars in a moonless sky.
— “Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”

Grief is wild—untamed, unending, and full of shadows. Yet within its depths, I have found moments of light: a memory, a poem, the gentle rustle of leaves, the warmth of a cup of tea. My words are both ache and love, a testament that even in the deepest sorrow, we can find meaning, connection, and—sometimes—hope. Through poetry, I reach for my son and for all who walk this path. If you find yourself here, know that you are not alone, and that love—like poetry—endures.

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If you wish to read more, my collection, Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide is available on Amazon Kindle. and many other reflections await you at myforeverson.com.

Bury My Heart

Recommended Books and Resources

Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources provides a comprehensive list of support resources, books for grieving a suicide loss, and poetry about losing a child to suicide. The content is highly informative and offers a wide range of resources for individuals dealing with suicide loss.

Healing After Suicide: Essential Books for Parents is a thoughtfully curated list of grief support includes practical guides, moving narratives from fellow survivors, poetry, and novels that resonate deeply with their experiences. The depth and breadth of the resources provided make them valuable both to those newly bereaved by suicide loss and those further along in their grief and healing.

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Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources

Losing my son to suicide created a void of cataclysmic proportions in all areas of my life: professional, emotional, spiritual, community, friends, physical, health.

Finding Beauty After Loss: Poetic Reflections is an exploration of how navigating profound grief meant finding support, which you can read about here: Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources.

My well-being turned in the split second I learned my son had died by suicide, and it would be a long time coming before I could pick up the pieces of my life to move forward in grief, carrying love along with the permanent ache of losing my son.

Coping with the Grief of Losing a Child to Suicide

Acute grief plunged my heart, soul, and sense of who I was into a chasm of despair. Coping with the Grief of Losing a Child to Suicide shares the ferocity of my grief in the immediacy of my son’s suicide. Weeping even in my sleep, broken even as I was, I didn’t believe that the acute pain of early grief would ever cease. As I write, it’s been 12 years since Dylan died. My grief has changed shape over the course of my grieving, softening in the intensity of the agonizing sharp pain of my early grief.

Finding Hope, Healing, and Resilience in Nature

Finding Hope, Healing, and Resilience in Nature explores the journey of finding hope and healing through nature after the loss of a child. It illustrates the emotional connection we can forge with the natural world, highlighting its ability to soothe our grief. The arrival of spring symbolizes hope and renewal, reminding us of the resilience within us. The author emphasizes the spirit of spring, encouraging patience during life’s challenges while imparting a heartfelt message of trust and enduring hope.

A Note from the Author

I am no longer in the dark place where my son’s suicide left me, though I carry his ache and love with me always. While Dylan’s absence lingers, I’ve learned to embrace good memories, guiding me toward healing. Over a decade has passed since my son’s suicide. Time hasn’t healed my grief, but it has moved me beyond acute trauma to glimpses of hope and happiness. Losing my son has forever changed me, but I’ve found healing by carrying both ache and love for him.

Glimpses of Hope in Small Things

I find hope in small things—my gardens, a cup of tea, and sunshine streaming through the window. I honor Dylan’s memory by connecting with others, sharing my story, and advocating for mental health awareness, determined that his legacy inspires support for those in similar struggles. Writing has helped me release my grief. While hope and healing may feel distant, they have gently found me in my reality: living each day without my son.

Three Years of Grief and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide

Three Years of Grief and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide is a profoundly touching collection of journals from the author’s journey through grief, hope, and healing, marking three years since losing her son, Dylan, to suicide. She has faced numerous challenges, grappling with emotions like anger and despair, ultimately discovering moments of clarity and acceptance. The thoughtfully selected images, often featuring her gardens, provide a visual reprieve and deepen the emotional impact of her words, inviting readers to reflect on their own healing.

Glimpses of Hope Amidst Darkness

Each entry in Three Years of Grief and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide illustrates her evolving grief and highlights how she finds glimmers of hope amidst darkness, encouraging others to embrace vulnerability and share their own stories. Through her candid reflections, the author offers companionship to those navigating their grief, reminding them they are not alone on this arduous journey.

Finding Hope in Nature’s Resilience Through Spring Flowers

In Finding Hope in Nature’s Resilience Through Spring Flowers, the author finds solace and healing in nature’s resilience, particularly during spring, after losing her son to suicide. The cyclical nature of the seasons, with the promise of renewal and rebirth, mirrors the author’s journey through grief and the hope for healing. Through journaling and photography, the author captures the beauty of nature and finds a poetic way to express her sorrow and search for self-forgiveness.

A Note from the Author

It’s true that one never fully “heals” from the loss of a child to suicide, yet I have gradually begun to bridge the profound gap between my own grief and the world around me, even if it happens at a pace that, at times, feels ‘ere so slow. I find profound hope and beauty in nature, and in its changing seasons, the steadfastness of life. Finding Hope in Nature’s Resilience Through Spring Flowers has been integral to moving through my grief after losing my 20-year-old-son, my only child, to suicide eleven years ago.

Matins: Reflections on Hope After Loss

Matins: Reflections on Hope After Loss explores the heart-wrenching journey of grief and healing following the loss of her son, Dylan, to suicide. She shares how grief can strike unexpectedly, flooding her with overwhelming despair. The struggle to rediscover joy after such a profound loss feels like an uphill battle, as even the smallest moments can be shadowed by sorrow. Learning to navigate life without him is a daunting challenge, with constant reminders of the void he left in her heart and home. 

Yet, amidst the pain, the author finds comfort in fleeting moments—whether it’s a gentle breeze that whispers memories of Dylan or a warm smile from friends who truly understand her heartbreak. She clings to the hope of a future reunion with him, which gently guides her through the darkness. Ultimately, she comes to understand that honoring Dylan’s memory not only keeps his spirit alive but also provides her with the strength she needs to embrace each new day.

Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide

Suicide is an out of the natural order of life death, a perpetual questioning of why they took their life, a constant review of what if? if only. . .and should have, could have, would have.

Beth Brown, Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide, My Forever Son

Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide is a poignant and compassionate exploration of the overwhelming emotions and hurdles parents face following the tragic loss of a child to suicide. This heartfelt post delves deep into the raw and complex journey, offering understanding, support, and guidance tailored specifically for grieving families. It features meaningful quotes from mental health professionals and fellow bereaved parents, relating to other relevant posts that discuss different aspects of loss and resilience.

Crucial resources for seeking professional help, including hotlines, support groups, and therapy options, are provided to foster emotional recovery. This article addresses unspoken feelings of guilt and isolation, validating parents’ pain while inspiring hope through shared stories and coping strategies. The post encourages dialogue around mental health and underscores the importance of community support in healing.

“That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back”: Poem on Guilt in Grief Poem

That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back”: Poem on Guilt in Grief Poem is a poignant poem exploring the guilt parents face after losing a child to suicide. It captures the emotional anguish of “What If?” and “Why Didn’t I See?” reflecting the deep sorrow of their grieving journey. Each line invites readers to experience the despair of such a loss while suggesting that love can illuminate dark moments. The poem provides insight into the author’s experience with loss, using vivid imagery to express the tidal wave of emotions that follow. The blend of poetry, personal anecdotes, and support resources amplifies the author’s voice and connects with the audience, encouraging exploration of their own feelings about loss.

Self-Blame and Guilt–I Couldn’t Save My Son

Self-Blame and Guilt—I Couldn’t Save My Son explores the heavy burden of self-blame and guilt many parents endure after losing a child to suicide. It addresses the struggle between cherishing memories and confronting harsh realities that feel insurmountable. Parents often grapple with guilt, wondering if they could have intervened or recognized their child’s distress. This journey through sorrow is intertwined with societal stigma and expectations about grieving. Finding healthy outlets for these feelings, like therapy or creative expression, can be healing.

Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling”

Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling” offers a personal exploration of grief and guilt after losing a child to suicide, a tragedy that affects many parents and caregivers. This collection includes the featured poem along with others that examine loss and healing, providing various perspectives on mourning. It also offers resources for support, guiding readers through their darkest moments while fostering community and understanding. The poem, “Still from Sky I’m Falling,” encapsulates the emotions of this journey, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences of grief.

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Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources

Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources is a compassionate guide for parents devastated by the loss of a child to suicide. It addresses the complex emotions of grief and emphasizes the importance of self-care, professional help, and support groups. The resource also shares coping strategies like creative pursuits, finding peace in nature, and honoring your child’s memory.

What I have learned these past 12 years of grief and healing is that my love was not enough to save my son, to protect my son, to prevent his suicide. Love, no matter how strong the connection, cannot prevent death.

Beth Brown, Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources, My Forever Son

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Online Directory for Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress

After A Suicide Resource Directory: Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
http://www.personalgriefcoach.net
This online directory links people who are grieving after a suicide death to resources and information.

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors
http://www.allianceofhope.org
This organization for survivors of suicide loss provides information sheets, a blog, and a community forum through which survivors can share with each other.

Friends for Survival
http://www.friendsforsurvival.org
This organization is for suicide loss survivors and professionals who work with them. It produces a monthly newsletter and runs the Suicide Loss Helpline (1-800-646-7322). It also published Pathways to Purpose and Hope, a guide to building a community-based suicide survivor support program.

HEARTBEAT: Grief Support Following Suicide
http://heartbeatsurvivorsaftersuicide.org
This organization has chapters providing support groups for survivors of suicide loss in Colorado and some other states. Its website provides information sheets for survivors and a leader’s guide on how to start a new chapter of HEARTBEAT.

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Resources and Support Groups

Parents of Suicides and Friends & Families of Suicides (POS-FFOS)
http://www.pos-ffos.com
This website provides a public message board called Suicide Grief Support Forum, a listserv for parents, a separate listserv for others, and an online chat room for survivors of suicide loss.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
https://www.taps.org/suicide
This organization provides resources and programs for people grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces or as a result of their service. It has special resources and programs for suicide loss survivors.

United Survivors
https://unitesurvivors.org/
This organization is a place where people who have experienced suicide loss, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts and feelings, and their friends and families, can connect to use their lived experience to advocate for policy, systems, and cultural change.

Professional Organizations

American Association of Suicidology
suicidology.org • (202) 237-2280
Promotes public awareness, education and training for professionals, and sponsors an annual Healing After Suicide conference for suicide loss survivors. In addition to the conference, they offer a coping with suicide grief handbook by Jeffrey Jackson. This booklet is also available in Spanish.

The Compassionate Friends
compassionatefriends.org • (877) 969-0010
Offers resources for families after the death of a child. They sponsor support groups, newsletters and online support groups throughout the country, as well as an annual national conference for bereaved families.

The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
dougy.org • (503) 775-5683
Publishes extensive resources for helping children and teens who are grieving a death including death by suicide. Resources include the “Children, Teens and Suicide Loss” booklet created in partnership with AFSP. This booklet is also available in Spanish.

Link’s National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare
thelink.org/nrc-for-suicide-prevention-aftercar • 404-256-2919
Dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources.

Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS)
taps.org/suicide • (800) 959-TAPS (8277)
Provides comfort, care and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones.

LOSS
losscs.org
Offers support groups, remembrance events, companioning, suicide postvention and prevention education, and training to other communities interested in developing or enhancing their suicide postvention and prevention efforts.

Online resources

Alliance of Hope
allianceofhope.org
Provides a 24/7 online forum for suicide loss survivors.

Help Guide
helpguide.org
Provides resources and tips for how to navigate the loss of someone to suicide.

Parents of Suicides (POS) – Friends and Families of Suicides (FFOS)
pos-ffos.com
An internet community to connect parents, friends, and family that have lost someone to suicide.

SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
save.org/programs/suicide-loss-support • (952) 946-7998
Hosts resources for suicide loss survivor including a support group database, newsletter, survivor conference and the Named Memorial Program, which offers a special way to honor your loved one.

Siblings Survivors of Suicide Loss
siblingsurvivors.com
Provides resources and a platform to connect with others that have lost a sibling to suicide.

Finding professional care and support

Find a mental health provider

• afsp.org/FindAMentalHealthProfessional
• findtreatment.samhsa.gov
• mentalhealthamerica.net/finding-help
• inclusivetherapists.com
• afsp.org/suicide-bereavement-trained-clinicians

Find a provider for prolonged grief

• prolongedgrief.columbia.edu

Find additional resources for marginalized communities

• afsp.org/mental-health-resources-for-marginalized-communities

Crisis Services

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org
Call or text 988 (press 1 for Veterans, 2 for Spanish, 3 for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults) or chat 988lifeline.org
A 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. You will be routed to the closest possible crisis center in your area. With crisis centers across the country, their mission is to provide immediate assistance to anyone seeking mental health services. Call for yourself, or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.

Crisis Text Line
crisistextline.org
Text TALK to 741-741 for English
Text AYUDA to 741-741 for Spanish
Provides free, text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need, 24/7.

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