Depression is always the cause of suicide

Myth

Two of every three people who commit suicide are depressed at the time they take their life. However, alcoholism plays a role in 1 in 3 completed suicides.

Major depression is the psychiatric diagnosis most commonly associated with suicide, with about 20 times the risk found in the general population.

"With much more active screening and treatment, depression carries less of a stigma now, but it remains one of the big risk factors for suicide," says Dr. Valenstein.

Your family affects risk

Fact

A family history of depression increases the chances that a child will suffer the same by a factor of 11.

But families (and friends) can also play a significant role in preventing suicide. Strong social support is known to lower suicide risk.

Poor countries have higher suicide rates

Myth

In fact, many rich countries have higher suicide rates than developing nations.

Some of the lowest rates can be found in Latin American countries, such as Brazil and the Dominican Republic, while richer countries (based on their GDP per capita), such as Russia, Japan, and France, are among the highest. These nations report numbers between two and three times as high as the U.S.

Approximately 54 of every 100,000 men in Russia, for example, commit suicide every year. (The region's high rates of alcohol consumption may be partly to blame.)

Most suicide attempts fail

Fact

Fortunately, only 1 in every 25 attempts actually results in death, according to the CDC.

To further lower that rate, Dr. Valenstein suggests "taking away the means."

"Make sure people you're concerned about don't have stockpiles of meds or access to guns," she says. "You want to make it difficult for them to enact a persistent suicidal thought."

Suicide is more common than in the past

Myth

Suicide rates in the U.S. have remained relatively constant over the past several decades, and may even have slightly decreased.

Still, youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are more than twice as likely to commit suicide today compared to 50 years ago. And, worldwide, suicide rates have increased by about 60% in the last 45 years, according to the World Health Organization.

Treatment cuts suicide risk

Fact

"There are not a lot of ways to prevent suicide at this point," says Dr. Valenstein. "But successful treatment of any underlying psychiatric disorder is very important and can reduce suicidal thoughts, particularly among older people."

She adds that a popular concern that antidepressants can actually raise the risk of suicide among patients under the age of 25 is most relevant during the first few weeks of therapy.

"If you successfully treat depression," notes Dr. Valenstein, "suicidal ideation declines."

Suicides can trigger "copy cat" attempts

Fact

Exposure to others who have committed suicide may "reduce some of the barriers to people thinking of doing it," says Dr. Valenstein.

She points out that this link has helped write new rules for responsible journalistic reporting. For example, journalists now typically refrain from going into detail or sensationalizing death from suicide.

"They usually finish up any story with a reference to a hotline so that distressed people reading it will reach out for help rather than being tempted to emulate," Dr. Valenstein adds.

Fewer people are calling hotlines

Myth

One way to reach out for help is to call a suicide hotline. Use of this support has been on the rise among veterans in recent years in response to increased publicity, says Dr. Valenstein.

Veterans can call the general hotline at 800-273-TALK and press "1".

"But anyone can call the hotline for advice, even if they are worried about someone else," adds Dr. Valenstein.

Suicides are more common on weekends

Myth

While Wednesdays are notorious for being "bumpy," and Tuesdays, in some studies, have been found to be the deadliest for suicides, Dr. Valenstein and her colleagues identified a different weekly peak——Monday.

In an unpublished study that they recently completed, they found that the most suicides fall on Mondays.

Dr. Valenstein says that, while it is not clear from studies so far which day is most common for suicides, they do seem to occur near the beginning of the week. "I would assume that the start of the work week is a more stressful time for people."

Men are at greater risk

Fact

While three times more women than men attempt suicide, four times more men than women actually kill themselves.

More than half of suicides in the U.S. are completed with guns. This violent and usually irreversible route is the choice of most men. However, Dr. Valenstein notes that the most common method among women is poisoning, typically an overdose of medication, the result of which is less often lethal.

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