Suicide rates have steadily risen in the U.S. according to new findings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s latest report shows a 24 percent increase in the rate of suicides between 1999 and 2014.
Although statistics show males are at a higher risk, one of the report’s authors said suicides don’t discriminate based on demographics.
“It’s a broad picture for both females and males. The suicide rate was higher in 2014 than in 1999 for all age groups under 75 years,” statistician Sally Curtin says.
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CBS News reports that one author emphasized that each suicide is just “the tip of the ice burg” because for every successful suicide there are many failed attempts.
Although each age group experienced an increase in suicides, the youngest age group’s rate tripled to 150 total suicides in 2014.
Multiple theories were offered to explain the alarming increase in young suicides. Social media’s role in influencing mental health has largely been unmeasured, and earlier puberty may also affect psychiatric conditions.
“It’s rare for suicide to occur in the absence of a psychiatric condition,” Dr. Maria Oquendo, president of the American Psychiatric Association, says.
The study’s authors urged primary care physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers to work together to support patients. The authors also hoped a recent increase in access to medical insurance will help people diagnose and treat their disorders.