Provisional data released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the number of U.S. suicide deaths reached an all-time high in 2022.
Overall, there were an estimated 49,449 people who died by suicide in the U.S. last year, up 2.6% from 48,183 in 2021.
The data showed that among younger people, the suicide rate has decreased, and among older demographics, it has increased.
For people ages 10 to 24, suicide deaths decreased by 8.4%, dropping to 6,529 in 2022 from 7,126 in 2021.
However, for other age ranges, the trend reverses, with suicide deaths for people aged 25-44 rising 0.7% from 16,724 in 2021 to 16,843 in 2022; for people aged 45-66, the number of suicides rose 6.6%, from 14,668 to 15,632 in 2022; and for people 65 and older, suicide deaths rose by 8.1%, from 9,652 in 2021 to 10,433 in 2022.
Suicide rates for different demographics also changed last year, with suicide among White people increasing by 2.1%, from 36,681 to 37,459; Asian deaths by suicide rose by 5.7%, from 1,379 to 1,458; and Black/African American deaths by suicide increased by 3.6%, from 3,692 to 3,825.
For some demographics, there were smaller sample sizes, as multiracial suicides rose by 7.9%, from 631 to 681; American Indian/Alaska Native suicide deaths decreased by 6.1%, from 692 people in 2021 to 650 people in 2022; and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander suicide deaths increased 15.9%, from 82 people in 2021 to 95 people in 2022.
For men, there was an increase in suicide deaths by 2.3% in 2022, rising from 38,358 to 39,255, and for women, there was an increase of 3.8%, as the number of suicide deaths rose from 9,825 in 2021 to 10,194 in 2022.
The data in the report is provisional, meaning that it was collected from death certificates but has not been fully reviewed. The number of 2021 suicide deaths has been finalized.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or need to talk to someone, call 9-8-8, a new national crisis line staffed by mental health specialists.
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