Deaths of despair are those caused by suicide, drug-related disease and drug overdoses. Researchers first observed the phenomenon of dying from despair in midlife white non-Hispanic Americans, recording their observations in a 2015 article. Although this initial demographic is quite narrow, further research has revealed the issue affects people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
The mortality rate from deaths of despair outpaces other causes of death by an overwhelming margin. The last time the suicide rate was this high was in 1938, and more alcohol-related deaths are occurring than at any time before the 1910s. The primary driver for these deaths of despair has been the expanding opioid crisis, which kills over 90 people each day. Death from despair has become a prevalent concern in the modern age, and the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified its effects.