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Most Americans Don't Know What 988 Suicide Crisis Hotline Is For: Poll

Only 13% of American adults understand the purpose of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline nearly a year after its widely publicized launch, a new survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows.

“There is an opportunity and a n...

Study Shows Season, Time of Day When Suicidal Thoughts Most Likely

While people might assume suicide is more common in the darker months of winter, it actually peaks in spring and early summer.

Researchers investigating what's happening have found that suicidal thoughts peak in December but then take a few months to reach a “tipping point.” People are also most vulnerable to ending their lives between 4 and 5 a.m., according to a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 15, 2023
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  • ER Visits by Teens in Mental Health Crisis Have Declined: CDC

    There's a glimmer of good news when it comes to the mental health of America's adolescents: Visits to U.S. emergency departments for psychiatric troubles declined among kids aged 12 to 17 by the fall of 2022, compared to a year prior.

    Overall, mean weekly adolescent emergency department (ED) visits for mental health conditions fell by 11% last fall, compared to higher levels in the fall o...

    Which Kids Face the Highest Risk of Self-Harm?

    Growing numbers of American kids and teens are cutting or burning themselves, banging their heads against walls, pulling out their hair and even trying to die by suicide.

    But figuring out who is at highest risk for harming themselves has been a daunting challenge. Until now.

    Researchers report they have developed risk profiles that can help doctors pinpoint which kids or teens are ...

    Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents Doubled in 10 Years

    Suicides among the youngest U.S. teenagers were rising for years before the pandemic with school stress, social media and guns standing as potential factors, according to a new study.

    Researchers found that between 2008 and 2018, the suicide rate among 13- and 14-year-olds nationwide more than doubled from roughly two deaths per 100,000 teens in 2008, to five per...

    In California Study, Many Veterans at Risk of Suicide Have Unlocked Gun at Home

    A new study on veterans, gun storage and suicidal thoughts points to an urgent need for mental health and substance-related services, according to researchers.

    The study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that about 1 in 7 veterans with a firearm at home in Calif...

    Many American Teens Are in Mental Health Crisis: Report

    America's teens are still not alright.

    Instead, many continue to engage in risky behaviors, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

    Top among these is an increase in suicidal thoughts and suicide planning and attempts among teen girls, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, rates among teen boys stayed stable.

    Meanwhile, LG...

    You're More Likely to Die From Guns in a Small Town Than Big City

    Gun deaths in the United States are more likely in small towns than big cities, and suicides are a big reason why.

    Gun suicides are more common than gun homicides, according to a new study. Those suicides have played a large part in the increase in gun deaths over the past few decades.

    “Our study has found that the divide in total intentional firearm deaths between urban and rural...

    Rate of U.S. Kids Attempting Suicide by Overdose Rose During Pandemic

    The number of kids who attempted suicide using over-the-counter or easily accessible medications is up sharply, a new study shows.

    This research spotlights a pediatric mental health crisis, said researchers from the University of Virginia Health System, who reviewed data on reported suicide attempts that were reported to the National Poison Data System in 2021.

    “This significant i...

    Could Better Access to Marijuana Be Linked to Rising Suicide Rates?

    Suspected suicide attempts linked to marijuana overdoses have been steadily increasing over the past decade, a new study reports.

    National Poison Data System records show a 17% yearly increase in reports of suicidal people who have been poisoned by using too much cannabis, said co-researcher Tracy Klein

    Intimate Relationships a Factor in 1 in 5 Suicides

    One in five people who die by suicide experienced intimate partner problems that included divorce, separation, arguments and violence, new research shows.

    “I think people hear the term intimate partner problems and go straight to intimate partner violence. That is a component of intimate partner problems, but it's not just about violence,” said study author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 20, 2023
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  • U.S. Suicide Rates Began to Rise Again in 2021

    In a disappointing finding, a new report shows that suicide rates in America are on the upswing again after a momentary, and minute, decline.

    According to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate increased from 10.7 people per 100,000 people in 2001 to 14.2 per 100,000 in 2018. The rate then dropped to 13.5 per 100,000 through 2020, but rose a...

    Curbing Opioid Prescriptions Won't Raise Suicide Rates: Study

    Over the past few years the escalating opioid crisis has touched off a complex debate about how best to reign in suicide risk among patients who are prescribed the addictive painkillers.

    The question: Could rapidly cutting back on legal opioid prescriptions help, or might patients' desperation over lack of access inadvertently drive up suicide risk?

    Now

  • Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 11, 2023
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  • Living Near Noisy Traffic Might Raise Suicide Risk

    Living with a lot of transportation noise can increase your risk of suicide, new research suggests.

    A study from Switzerland found that with every 10-decibel increase of average road traffic noise at home, risk for suicides rose by 4%. An association between railway noise and suicide was less pronounced.

    “We used suicides as an indicator for mental health disorders as we do not ha...

    Could Melatonin Ease Self-Harm in Kids?

    For depressed or anxious children, taking melatonin may afford a good night's sleep and, as a result, lower the odds they will harm themselves, new research suggests.

    The risk of self-harm increased before melatonin was prescribed and decreased by about half after kids started taking the supplement,

  • Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 27, 2023
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  • Vaping Tobacco or Weed Appears Tied to Higher Anxiety in Teens

    For decades, people turned to cigarettes in times of stress. Now, a preliminary study hints that young people are using vaping in the same way.

    The study, of nearly 2,000 U.S. teenagers and young adults, found that those who vaped nicotine or marijuana were more likely to report anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. In fact, a majority of vapers said they'd suffered anxiety or depress...

    Kids Visiting ER in Mental Crisis Often Get No Follow-Up

    A growing number of U.S. kids are landing in hospital emergency rooms for a mental health crisis. Now a new study finds that many do not get follow-up care after they're discharged.

    Experts said the findings, published Feb. 13 in the journal

  • Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 13, 2023
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  • Big Rise in U.S. Teen Girls Reporting Violence, Sadness -- Far More Than Boys

    An alarming new survey shows that American teen girls are experiencing record high levels of violence, sadness and suicide risk.

    Schools may be the answer to improving what's happening for young people, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    About 3 in 5 girls -- 57% -- said they felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021. That's up 60%, t...

    Suicides Rise Again in the US, Increases Highest Among Minorities

    Suicide rates have climbed again following a two-year decline, U.S. health officials report.

    The new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also described a shift in demographics of those dying by suicide in 2021.

    While rates among white Americans have been higher for decades t...

    When Schools Ask Students About Suicide, Those At Risk Get Help Sooner

    Could asking teens a simple, but pointed, question about their mental health reveal whether they are at risk for suicide?

    It might, new research suggests.

    Since suicide is now the second leading cause of death among American teens, any strategy that could lower that risk may be worth trying.

    �...

    Could Vitamin D Help Ward Off Suicide?

    A new study hints that treating low vitamin D levels with supplements might have a critical benefit for certain people: a decreased risk of attempting suicide.

    In a study of more than 1 million U.S. veterans, researchers found that those prescribed vitamin D were nearly 50% less likely to attempt suicide over eight years, versus those who were not prescribed the supplements.

    The ben...

    Suicide Risk Rises When Cancer Strikes

    A cancer diagnosis can be devastating.

    Now, new research shows that patients diagnosed with cancer have a risk of suicide 26% higher than the general population.

    A variety of factors contribute to the elevated risk, including geography, race and ethnicity, economic status and clinical characteristics, American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers found.

    The study also showed a dec...

    VA Announces Plan to Give Free Care to Any Vet in Suicide Crisis

    While U.S. veterans are already eligible for emergency suicidal crisis care, starting Tuesday they can get it for free.

    Care available at any VA facility or any private facility will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care, the Department of Veteran's Affairs announced Friday. It will also include up to 90 days of follow-up outpatient care and ambulance rides to hosp...

    Suicidal Service Members With Guns at Home Often Keep Feelings Secret: Study

    Military service members who conceal their suicidal thoughts are also more likely to store their guns unsafely, a new study reveals.

    “These findings highlight a real problem with our suicide prevention system,” said Michael Anestis, lead author of the study and...

    Long Stays Common for Kids Who Visit ERs in Mental Health Crisis

    It's a scenario no parent would ever want to witness: Their child suffers a mental health crisis and is taken to the emergency room, only to have to wait 12 hours or more for the right medical care.

    Sadly, it is what 1 in 5 of these young patients now face, new research finds.

    "For kids with mental health conditions, long waits in the emergency department have been a compounding pr...

    4 Genes May Raise Risk for Suicide

    Scientists have pinpointed four genes that seem to play a part in how vulnerable you are to suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

    "It's important to note that these genes do not predestine anyone to problems, but it's also important to understand that there could be heightened risks, particularly when combined with life events," said study co-author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • December 14, 2022
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  • Myth That Suicides Peak During the Holidays Could Cause Harm

    Many Americans believe that suicide rates spike every time the holiday season comes around. There's just one catch: It's not true.

    Yet, a new analysis reveals that 56% of stories published last year in U.S. newspapers that touched on a potential connection between the holidays ...

    Record Number of Fatal Drug ODs for Pregnant, Postpartum Women

    Pregnant and postpartum women are dying of drug overdoses in record numbers, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse, a new study shows.

    Deaths increased about 81% over the past four years, hitting a record high in 2020, according to researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.

    "We've seen significant increases in fatal and non...

    988 Mental Health Hotline Back in Business After Daylong Outage

    A national hotline that people can call in a mental health emergency went down for a day before it was restored late Thursday.

    Those in crisis could still reach counselors by texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org during the outage. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Disaster Distress Helpline was also down.

    It's unclear what happened to cause the...

    Mental Health Care Shortage Could Play Role in U.S. Youth Suicides

    The kids aren't alright.

    Up to 1 in 5 children in the United States has a mental health condition, but only about half of those who need mental health care are now receiving it. What's more, suicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. kids and teens, and youth suicide rates have been rising over the last decade.

    Now, about one year after the U.S. Surgeon General cit...

    Unlocked & Loaded: Most Guns Used in Suicides Are Easily Accessed

    Guns cause more than half of all suicides in the United States each year, and new research finds most of these are handguns owned by the deceased that were stored unlocked and loaded.

    Researchers used data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to examine the deaths of more than 117,000 people who killed themselves with guns between 2003 and 2018.

    "These results highlight ...

    Suicide Rates Declining for White Americans, But Not for Minorities

    In a finding that illustrates just how deeply racial disparities permeate the U.S. health care system, a new government report finds that suicide rates dipped slightly among white Americans while they rose for Black and Hispanic Americans.

    "Although the recent decline in suicide rates for non-Hispanic whi...

    Pandemic Saw Big Rise in Deaths to Millennials From Multiple Causes

    Americans aged 25 to 44 — so-called millennials — are dying at significantly higher rates from three leading killers than similarly aged people just 10 years ago, the latest government data shows.

    Looking at data collected between 2000 and 2020, the new report from the U.S. National Center for He...

    LGBTQ Youth Have Double the Risk for Suicidal Thoughts, Attempts

    A new study that looks at suicide risk among U.S. teens who are lesbian, gay and bisexual finds they have disproportionately high rates of suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts compared to their heterosexual peers.

    “The major message of this paper is that among a group of survivors of these types of violence, those who identify as a sexual minority are more likely to develop suicidal...

    Illinois Study Shows Big Jump in Suicide-Linked ER Visits by Teens

    Illinois has seen a recent surge in the number of kids arriving in the emergency room for suicidal thoughts -- both during and shortly before the pandemic, according to a new study.

    Among kids ages 5 to 19, ER visits for suicidal thoughts rose by 59% across the state between 2016 and 2021, researchers found. That included a sharp spike in the fall of 2019, followed by another in the fall ...

    Single Dose of Psychedelic Curbs Depression, But Study Raises Concerns

    A single psychedelic trip with psilocybin -- the mind-altering component of magic mushrooms -- appears to lift the fog of major depression in some hard-to-treat patients, a new clinical trial reports.

    A 25-milligram dose of a synthetic psilocybin compound called COMP360 caused a "rapid and durable response" in more than a third of patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, sa...

    Too Few Young People Get Mental Health Follow-Up After ER Visit

    When teens and young adults go to the emergency room or are hospitalized for critical mental health issues a staggering number are not receiving quick follow-up care, new U.S. research finds.

    Researchers at the University of Massachusetts looked at more than 100,000 ER visits of young people ages 12 to 27 who have private insurance. Only about 29% received follow-up care within seve...

    Americans Are Prioritizing Mental Health, With New 988 Hotline There to Help

    As the 988 crisis line debuts across the United States, a new Harris Poll shows that Americans are ready to make mental health and suicide prevention a top priority.

    Over eight in 10 adults now believe it's more important than ever to consider suicide prevention a national public health crisis, according to the poll spon...

    U.S. Gun Deaths Reach New Highs

    Murders and suicides involving guns have reached an all-time high in the United States, health officials reported Thursday.

    From 2020 to 2021, the rate of firearm homicides increased by more than 8%, as did the rate of firearm suicides, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    "It's worth noting that firearms were used in the vast majority of...

    Suicide Risk Rises Sharply in People Diagnosed With Early-Onset Dementia

    Thoughts of suicide are often a first reaction to a diagnosis of dementia before age 65, a new study suggests.

    Suicide risk is highest in the first three months after the dementia diagnosis and if the patient already has a psychiatric disorder, British researchers found. For those younger...

    U.S. Suicide Rates Rose in 2021, Reversing 2 Years of Decline

    The suicide rate in the United States increased in 2021, following two years of decline, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    The number of suicides increased to 47,646 in 2021, up from 45,979 in 2020, according to researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

    As a result, the U.S. suicide rate also increased ...

    Could a Folic Acid Prescription Help Prevent Suicide?

    More than 1 million Americans attempted suicide in 2020, and a new study is hinting at a potential way to reduce that risk: prescription folic acid.

    The study, of more than 800,000 Americans in a health care database, found that when people were on prescription folic acid, their likelihood of being treated for

  • Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 30, 2022
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  • Most Pregnancy-Related Deaths in U.S. Could Have Been Prevented

    More than four out of five pregnancy-related deaths in the United States could have been prevented, according to a new federal government report.

    The researchers examined data from

    Depression Affects Almost 1 in 10 Americans

    Nearly 10% of Americans suffer from depression, with the mood disorder increasing fastest among teens and young adults, a new study finds.

    Between 2015 and 2020, incidence of depression reached 9% among Americans 12 and older. Among teens and young adults, the depression rate stood at 17% in 2020, the researchers found.

    "

    New 988 Suicide Hotline Sees Increase in Calls for Help

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a new suicide hotline using just the numbers 988 in July, and now new data shows calls climbed 45% compared to the same time last year.

    "Our nation's transition to 988 moves us closer to better serving the crisis care needs of people across America," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 12, 2022
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  • Could You Spot the Signs of Suicide Risk?

    Recognizing the signs that someone is considering suicide could help save a life.

    "Emergency physicians see many people who are struggling silently with their mental health," said Dr. Gillian Schmitz, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

    "One...

    'Digital Self-Harm': When Teens Cyberbully Themselves

    Up to 9% of American teens say they've engaged in what's known as "digital self-harm" -- anonymously posting negative comments about themselves on social media.

    As is the case with acts of physical self-harm such as cutting, this "virtual" self-harm is associated with a higher risk for thinking about or attempting suicide, according to a startling

  • Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 2, 2022
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  • U.S. Life Expectancy Fell by Nearly 1 Year in 2021 Due to Pandemic

    Life expectancy in the United States dropped for the second straight year, government health officials reported Wednesday.

    The decline from 77 years in 2020 to 76.1 years in 2021 puts U.S. life expectancy at the lowest level since 1996, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    The drop of nearly one year in 2021, plus a drop of nearly two years i...

    Hispanic Americans' Suicide Rates Are Rising

    Suicide is a major public health issue for all Americans, but new research suggests it is a particularly pressing problem for Hispanics.

    Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among Hispanic adults increased by more than 70%, while the Hispanic population in the United States only grew by about 25%, the researcher...

    Too Few Psychiatric Beds: Psychiatrists' Group Takes Aim at Ongoing Crisis

    Amid a stark shortage of psychiatric beds that only worsened for millions suffering from mental illnesses during the pandemic, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is rolling out a new model that can help communities determine exactly how many beds they need.

    Having enough in-patient beds would cut down on overcrowding in emergency departments and early release from needed care, the...