To consider it may be human, but to think about it all the time is a sign that something is truly wrong. We all need to know how to spot the warning signs, how to reach out to someone in need, and how to get help for ourselves. Each year more than 30,000 people commit suicide. This number is greater than the total number of homicides which occur in the United States in a given year. And the numbers haven't changed much in the past century.
Suicide continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States.
While women attempt suicide more often than men, men are more successful. In fact, men account for 80 percent of all suicides. Women are more likely to attempt suicide with a drug overdose, and most of these are unsuccessful. Adolescents and older adults are at particular risk for suicide, and the rate among teens has tripled since 1950. Suicide is also a major cause of death in anorexia.