More than 156,000 Americans died as a result of alcohol, drugs or suicide in 2019.
That's from a new report released Tuesday by Trust for America's Health. And even worse, preliminary data available for 2020 indicate those startling figures continued to climb as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
"Pain in the Nation: Alcohol, Drug and Suicide Deaths" is part of a series of reports tracking "despair deaths" in the U.S. since 2017.
Over the past decade, the number of alcohol, drug and suicide deaths increased by 52%. In 2019, alcohol- and drug-related deaths were up, while the national suicide rate was slightly lower.
In Texas, alcohol-related deaths jumped by 12% in 2019. The state saw a 5% increase in drug-related deaths that year.
A major finding in the new report is that the ongoing pandemic is increasing stress and related substance abuse for many Americans.
John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America's Health, told KRLD News that without urgent action, mental health issues and substance use - already on a grim trajectory - will continue to rise. Auerbach, a former Associate Director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke with KRLD's Chris Sommer.