Suicide Numbers continue to increase

Today the CDC released their Mortality Statistics for 2018 and once again, the news is sobering. Even though the US death rate decreased by 1.1% and life expectancy showed a marginal improvement, the suicide death rate is up 1.4% to 14.2 deaths per 100,000. Death rates decreased in six categories, and suicide was one of only two of the top ten causes to increase. Lives lost in 2018 numbered 48,344. Suicide remains the 10th leading cause of death in the US, with by far the least amount of federal research funding of the top 10.

Suicide is preventable. The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention has made a call for all of us to get involved in fighting suicide and the public-private, multi-pronged approach they outline will be necessary to save the lives of people we love, our co-workers and our neighbors. JKBF would accentuate these initiatives with a need to increase research and awareness of biological and lifestyle factors that contribute to the mental health concerns, impulsivity, lack of resilience, and agitation that heighten risk for suicidal behavior. We need to better understand how #mindbodyconnect in order to find measurable and modifiable conditions and treatments that will provide additional tools to #preventsuicide.