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1-800-SUICIDE

Statistical information regarding depression and suicide is useful for several reasons. The large number of people affected by depression and suicide makes it easy to understand how important prevention and awareness programs are. In addition, adolescents suffering from depression and/or considering suicide should understand that they are not alone, this is a common feeling and that it can be helped. Below are some statistics regarding teen depression and suicide.

-Suicide takes the lives of more than 30,000 Americans every year
-Each year 5,000 young people, age 15-24, commit suicide

-Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds
-Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students

-60 percent of high school boys have thought about suicide, 9 percent have attempted suicide
-Males are 4 times more likely to die from a suicide attempt than are females because they tend to use more effective methods
-Firearms are the leading method in successful suicides (57 percent). Suffocation is the second leading method, 19 percent, closely followed by poisoning at 17 percent.

-For every successful suicide there are 50 to 100 attempted suicides
-Since 1970, teen/youth sucide rates have tripled
-More adolescents die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined

-80 to 90 percent of people with depression can be treated
-9 out of every 10 suicides are preventable

All information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and the Massachusetts Alliance of Samaritan Suicide Prevention Services

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds

Since 1970, teen/youth sucide rates have tripled

9 out of every 10 suicides are preventable