Suicide Awareness and Prevention Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in this country. Approximately 30,000 people commit suicide every year.
Suicide affects all age groups, including children and the elderly.
Ninety percent of persons who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental or substance abuse disorder. Not only does suicide cut lives short, it affects entire families, communities, schools and workplaces. Accessible support services, enhanced education about suicide in schools and in the media, and a more intensive, national assault on substance abuse and other contributors to suicide can make a difference. Suicide can be prevented. Warning signs, risk factors, and effective treatments enable all of us to take a pro-active, preventive approach to this national mental health crisis.