Suicide Warning Signs

The signs of suicide
More men than women die by suicide.
The gender ratio is 4:1.
73% of all suicide deaths are white males.
80% of all firearm suicide deaths are white males.
Among the highest rates (when categorized by gender and race) are suicide deaths for white men over 85, had a rate of 54/100,000.

Teen suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young adults and adolescents 15 to 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide. The rate was 9.9/100,000 or .01%.

The adolescent suicide rate among youth ages 10-14 was 1.3/100,000 or 272 deaths among 20,910,440 children in this age group. The gender ratio for this age group was 3:1 (males: females).

The teen suicide rate among youth aged 15-19 was 7.9/100,000 or 1,611 deaths among 20,271,312 teenagers in this age group. The gender ratio for teenage group was 5:1 (males: females).

Among young people 20 to 24 years of age, the youth suicide rate was 12/100,000 or 2,360 deaths among 19,711,423 people in this age group. The gender ratio for this age group was 7:1 (males: females).

Attempted Teenage Suicides

No annual national data on all attempted teenage suicides are available.

Other research indicates that:

There are an estimated 8-25 attempted suicides for each teen suicide death; the ratio is higher in women and youth and lower in men and the elderly.

More women than men report a history of attempted suicide, with a gender ratio of 3:1.

Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warnings.

Pay attention to these teen suicide warning signs:

  • Suicide threats, direct and indirect
  • Teen Depression
  • Obsession with death
  • Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
  • Dramatic change in personality or appearance
  • Irrational, bizarre behavior
  • Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
  • Changed eating or sleeping patterns
  • Severe drop in school performance
  • Giving away belongings