National Suicide Awareness Week is May 6-12. There's answers out there, if only we can recognize their hurt and get them to the answers that will help. Suicide is everybody's business, task force members say. Washington ranks 16th in the nation in suicides, and Kitsap County's rate is higher than the national average. In 1999, there were 44 suicides in the county, an average of one death every eight days.
Suicide affects all age groups.
It is the third-leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24. The national suicide rate is highest among white males 65 and older. The suicide rate among this group is more than twice what might be expected. The American Association of Suicidology shows depression is linked to at least 80 percent of suicides. Medication and counseling have proven effective in relieving depression, which makes suicide a highly preventable cause of death, said Riki Jacobs, Crisis Clinic manager and task force member.