September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and this is National Suicide Prevention Week. As an organization focused on reducing all forms of gun violence, we cannot overlook the tremendous impact of suicide on overall gun deaths. So this month, we will take a look at that data to understand how widespread the problem is, dispel common suicide myths, and explore what we - as individuals and as an organization - can do to reduce the number of lives lost.

While mass violence and homicides grab the most headlines, 57% of all gun deaths in the U.S. are suicides (CDC Wonder Database, 2018-2021). So who is most at risk? It may not be who you think. 

Between 2018 and 2021, white males represented 78% of suicides with the highest rate of suicide among those 85 years and older. However, in recent years we’ve seen the fastest increasing suicide rate among young Black men.

Additionally, the suicide risk is disproportionately high among certain populations such as those in the LGBTQ+ community, miners, and farmers. Since firearms are one of the most lethal methods for suicide, those with easy access to firearms such as veterans, white men in rural communities, and young Black men are more likely to die when suicide is attempted.

This month Whitney/Strong Wednesdays will share why heightened suicide rates are a cause for concern for all of us, how to recognize a suicide crisis, and what you can do to eliminate the risk that you or someone you know will attempt to self-harm. However, if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, do not wait. Help is always available. Call or text 988 or chat with a trained crisis counselor at 988lifeline.org.

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