Nick Zagorski
Published online: July 14, 2016
While most age groups—particularly children and young adults—showed increases in suicide prevalence since 1999, rates for adults 75 and up have been declining.
This past April, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics released updated data on suicide rates in the United States, which revealed an alarming trend.
After experiencing a period of nearly consistent decline in suicide rates from 1986 through 1999, the United States experienced a 24 percent increase in suicide between the years 1999 and 2014—rising from 10.5 to 13.0 per 100,000 people—with increases for both males and females in nearly every age bracket.
“This report reaffirms that psychiatrists and other providers need to identify individuals at risk for suicide, such as people with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and treat them aggressively,” said APA President Maria A. Oquendo, M.D., who has conducted extensive research into suicide prevention.
Such rigorous suicide prevention eincludes treating psychiatric illness, but also specifically targeting suicidal behavior through approaches like dialectical behavior therapy.
Read More at Psychiatric News