Youth Suicide Rates Have Increased Over the Past Decade, Experts Push Crucial Changes

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared suicide statistics for children and teens, noting a clear and steady increase.

• Mental health professionals point to a lack of resources and less in-person connection as contributing factors.

• Experts recommend a variety of preventative measures be taken, including collaboration amongst primary care physicians, parents, and educators.

Suicide rates for children have increased steadily, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For the last decade and a half, suicide rates for children and young adults have continued to rise. In fact, the suicide rate among young people ages 10 to 24 increased 62% from 2007 through 2021 from 6.8 deaths per 100,000 to 11.0 deaths per 100,000.

More specifically, the suicide rate tripled from 2007 through 2018 (from 0.9 to 2.9 deaths per 100,000) for kids ages 10 to 14, and then did not change significantly through 2021.

Meanwhile, the suicide rate for teens ages 15 to 19 increased from 2009 through 2017, surpassing the 2020 statistic.

These numbers are in addition to the homicide rate for children in these age ranges, which has also increased.

Suicide rates for teens and young adults were relatively high in the late 1980s to mid-1990s and then improved somewhat, but have been increasing again for the past decade and a half. In 2021, the rate for 15 to 24-year-olds reached a peak of 15.2 deaths per 100,000, Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, MA, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer for The Jed Foundation told Health.

“This is a historic number that is concerning and should be cause for action,” she said.

Why Youth Suicide Rates are Rising

According to Erickson-Schroth, the state of the world and the tools young people have access to should be considered when discussing rising suicide rates.

“The world young people live in can be overwhelming, and the social and political issues our society is facing—including the pandemic, school shootings, wars, the climate, economic strains, racial violence, and legislation that directly targets their identities—are significantly affecting them.”

She also noted that resource accessibility, particularly amongst minority demographics, adds to the issue.

“Many young people—especially LGBTQIA+ youth and youth of color—do not have access to the mental health support they need because of financial constraints and a lack of diversity among providers,” she said.

On top of this, young people are not experiencing the same benefits of connection and community as previous generations. For people ages 10 to 24, time spent in person with friends has dropped 70% in the last two decades, from about 2.5 hours a day in 2003 to 40 minutes in 2020.

While online worlds like social media and gaming can be lifesaving options for some to explore their identities and find community, there can also be detrimental effects if these spaces are not regulated appropriately, too, Erickson-Schroth said.

For instance, bullying is a serious issue and the rise of online platforms and social media has made cyberbullying relentless and harmful, Avigail Lev, PsyD, a psychotherapist and founder of Bay Area CBT Center told Health.

“Cyberbullying has resulted in many attempted suicides in youth,” she said.

Likewise, social media platforms can also contribute to negative impacts on mental health and increase the risk of self-harm, said Lev. “The influencer culture and the emphasis on appearance and sexuality can lead to body image issues, low self-esteem, and a distorted sense of self-worth.”

Where to Get Help

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicide, call 988. You also can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

Related: Depression Rates Are Higher Than Ever—Experts Say These 5 Things Need to Change

Preventing Suicide in Children and Teens

Preventing the loss of more young lives in the years to come requires intervention from all levels of society. According to Erickson-Schroth, talking to children and teens about suicide is an important first step.

“It’s a myth that talking about suicide will give someone ideas,” she said. “In fact, bringing up suicide typically provides a sense of relief and can increase help-seeking.”

Eric Alcera, MD, a double board-certified psychiatrist and the network medical director for behavioral health at Hackensack Meridian Health, explained that checking in with kids helps adults learn what new stressors they might be facing.

“Checking in is especially important if a child identifies as a member of a high-risk group such as females, LGBTQ+, or Black or Hispanic,” he said.

Understanding the stress a child or teen may be feeling allows space for equipped adults to connect, and share experiences their own experiences.

“Sharing some of your own experiences can be helpful, including being open about times when you have dealt with difficult emotions and what activities helped you cope during those times,” Erickson-Schroth said.

Young people also need “safe spaces” where they can access mental health professionals, Alcera said. Kids need to know how to find the resources they need and be encouraged to ask for help when they are struggling.

Meanwhile, parents, educators, and others in the community should learn early warning signs and engage with kids to learn healthy problem-solving skills.

“Access to school counselors and mental health professionals should be readily available,” Lev said.

There also needs to be more preventative efforts that address mental health in our youth as a routine, built-in part of overall health, Alcera said. “We must, from early on, teach our children coping skills and how to put their thoughts and feelings in perspective.”

Governments and policymakers also should prioritize mental health initiatives, including increased funding for mental health services, and research, said Lev.

“This includes fostering dialogue around social issues, addressing systemic inequalities, and creating opportunities for youth to be involved in meaningful social change,” she said.

Addressing Mental Health Issues and Decreasing Suicide

Another way to address increasing suicide and homicide rates is to find ways where parents, healthcare professionals, and educators can collaborate to ensure issues are caught before they escalate.

Alcera believes pediatricians are in the perfect position to be gatekeepers when it comes to children and their mental health and points to a similar initiative in New Jersey.

“Hackensack Meridian Health, for example, helped develop the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative, where pediatricians consult with on-call psychiatrists,” he said. “The collaborative, which includes other health systems in New Jersey, allows pediatricians to screen for mental health conditions and get guidance from a psychiatrist before things reach a crisis point.”

Schools also are in a unique position to address mental health and firearm safety among young people with prevention programs and open dialogues.

For instance, The Jed Foundation has worked with more than 500 high schools and colleges to help them develop customized, strategic plans that build on their existing strengths, Erickson-Schroth said.

She listed seven strategy areas these plans focus on: developing life skills and resilience, fostering school connectedness and youth engagement, increasing help-seeking, enabling early identification of at-risk students, increasing student access to effective mental health treatment, establishing crisis management procedures for students, and reducing access to lethal means.

Ultimately, it’s crucial to remember that a young person’s experience of the world today is different from the experiences of young people in previous generations. This directly impacts their mental health, said Erickson-Schroth.

“Luckily, there are real, actionable solutions that can help to improve emotional health and prevent suicide in young people,” she said. “Creating a more healthy community is all of our responsibility.”

Related: 10 Things To Know From Those Who Have Attempted Suicide

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