Suicide Fast Facts

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people age 15 to 24. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC)
• Of the total number of suicides among persons age 15 to 24, 86 percent are male and 14 percent are female. (CDC)
• Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all American men. (CDC)
• Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than females. Suicide rates are highest among White males and second highest among American Indian and Native Alaskan males. (CDC)
• Sixty percent of reported suicide deaths among men involve the use of a firearm. (CDC)
• Women report attempting suicide during their lifetime about three times as often as men. (CDC)
• Of those Americans over the age of 65 who commit suicide, 85 percent are men and 15 percent are women. (CDC)

Helpful information for Survivors of Suicide

Beyond Surviving: Suggestions for Survivors of Suicide by Iris M. Bolton

1. Know you can survive. You may not think so, but you can.
2. Struggle with "why" it happened until you no longer need to know "why" or until you are satisfied with partial answers.
3. Know you may feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your feelings but all your feelings are normal.
4. Anger, guilt, confusion, forgetfulness are common responses.  You are not crazy, your are in mourning.
5. Be aware you may feel appropriate anger at the person, at the world, at God, at yourself. It’s okay to express it.
6. You may feel guilty for what you think you did or did not do.  Guilt can turn into regret, through forgiveness.
7. Having suicidal thoughts is common. It does not mean that you will act on those thoughts.
8. Remember to take one moment or one day at a time.
9. Find a good listener with whom to share. Call someone if you need to talk.
10. Don’t be afraid to cry. Tears are healing.
11. Give yourself time to heal.
12. Remember, the choice was not yours. No one is the sole influence in another’s life.
13. Expect setbacks. If emotions return like a tidal wave, you may only be experiencing a remnant of grief, an unfinished piece.
14. Try to put off major decisions.
15. Give yourself permission to get professional help.
16. Be aware of the pain of your family and friends.
17. Be patient with yourself and others who may not understand.
18. Set your own limits and learn to say no.
19. Steer clear of people who want to tell you what or how to feel.
20. Know that there are support groups that can be helpful, such as Compassionate Friends or Survivors of Suicide groups. If not, ask a professional to start one.
21. Call on your personal faith to help you through.
22. It is common to experience physical reactions to your grief, e.g., headaches, loss of appetite, inability to sleep.
23. The willingness to laugh with others and at yourself is healing.
24. Wear out your questions, anger, guilt, or other feelings until you can let them go. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting.
25. Know that you will never be the same again, but you can survive and even go beyond just surviving.