Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. There are many factors that contribute to suicide.
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. Here’s a few eye-opening statistics:
- Suicide was responsible for nearly 46,000 deaths in 2020.
- In 2020, an estimated 12.2 million adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million made a plan, and 1.2 million attempted suicide.
- Suicide rates in 2020 were 30 percent higher than in 2000.
Help is available in a variety of forms including the Oregon Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) which focuses on delivering prevention programs, educating the public, raising funds for suicide research and programs, and reaching out to those who have lost someone to suicide. Contact the Oregon chapter by emailing oregon@afsp.org.
The AFSP website has a ton of resources ranging from risk factors to look for, suicide prevention interventions and treatments, what parents should know about teens and suicide, how to get direct help and more.
There is also the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline which was launched in July in Oregon. The hotline can connect those who call, text or go online to counselors trained in helping people in a crisis. Counselors will be available 24 hours a day, every day of the week, and they’ll be bilingual, with services in English and Spanish.
