Gun Suicides Are Rising Steeply Among American Youth

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• June 14, 2021
• Full Page

A rising number of young Americans, including children, are taking their own lives using firearms, a new study finds.

Researchers found that between 2008 and 2018, gun suicides showed an "alarming" increase among Americans aged 5 to 24. And while those suicides remain ra...

Big Rise in Suicide Attempts by U.S. Teen Girls During Pandemic

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 11, 2021
• Full Page

The suicide attempt rate has leapt by as much as half among teenage girls during the coronavirus pandemic, a new government study shows.

Emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts among girls between the ages of 12 and 17 increased by 26% during summer 2020 and...

ADHD Meds May Help Keep Some Kids From Thoughts of Suicide

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• June 8, 2021
• Full Page

ADHD medications might help lessen the risk of suicide in children with serious behavioral issues, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that medications like Ritalin and Adderall, commonly prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were linked to ...

Should There Be 'Gun Retirement' for the Elderly?

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 17, 2021
• Full Page

Just as some elderly drivers need to give up their car keys, older gun owners may eventually face "firearm retirement." And a preliminary study suggests they are open to the idea.

In focus-group interviews with older gun owners, researchers found that many had considered...

Time Spent in ICU Linked to Higher Odds for Suicide Later

• Robert Preidt
• May 7, 2021
• Full Page

Survivors of the intensive care unit (ICU) have a higher risk of self-harm and suicide after discharge than other hospital patients, a Canadian study shows.

Researchers compared the health records of 423,000 ICU survivors in the province of Ontario with those of with 3 m...

Gender-Affirming Surgeries Improve Mental Health in Young, Study Says

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• April 28, 2021
• Full Page

When gender-diverse or transgender people have surgeries to affirm their gender, they experience a variety of positive mental health outcomes, new research shows.

The study found an association between the surgeries, which participants had at least two years prior to a s...

Tougher Gun Laws, Fewer Gun Deaths: Study

• Robert Preidt
• April 27, 2021
• Full Page

The more gun laws a state has, the lower its suicide and murder rates, a new U.S. study finds.

Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis. In 2017, nearly 67,000 Americans died by suicide and homicide. And guns were involved in about half of the suicides...

Even Before COVID, Many More People Died Early in U.S. Versus Europe

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• April 15, 2021
• Full Page

Americans were living shorter lives and dying at a significantly higher rate than the citizens of wealthy European countries even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, a new study reports.

The United States suffered more than 400,000 excess deaths in 2017 alone, pre-COVID...

Nurses Are Dying From Suicide at Higher Rates

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• April 14, 2021
• Full Page

Before the pandemic began, suicide risk was twice as high among female nurses compared with American women as a whole, a new study warns.

Even within the health care community itself, female nurses were found to be roughly 70% more likely to die by suicide than female do...

No Rise in Global Suicide Rate in First Months of Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• April 14, 2021
• Full Page

Suicides did not rise in wealthier nations early in the COVID pandemic, but continued monitoring of long-term mental health and economic effects is needed, a new study says.

"We know that many people have had their lives changed dramatically by the pandemic, and the jour...

Nearly Half of U.S. Veterans Cited 'Personal Growth' During Pandemic: Survey

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• April 9, 2021
• Full Page

Could there actually be a mental health upside to the ongoing pandemic?

In a word, yes. At least that's the finding of a new survey, in which roughly four in 10 U.S. military veterans said that the experience has in some ways proven psychologically rewarding.

Nearl...

1 in 5 Colorado Teens Has Easy Access to a Gun: Study

• Cara Murez
• March 29, 2021
• Full Page

About 1 in 5 Colorado high school students has access to guns, according to new study from the Colorado School of Public Health.

The research -- published March 29 in the Journal of Pediatrics -- is being released after recent mass shootings in Atlanta and in Bo...

Gen X, Millennials in Worse Health Than Prior Generations at Same Age

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 25, 2021
• Full Page

Medicine may have advanced by leaps and bounds over the last century, but Generation X and millennials are in worse health than their parents and grandparents were at their age.

That's the conclusion of a new study that looked at markers of physical and mental health acr...

Suicide Attempts Spike Soon After Dementia Diagnosis

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

A new study shows just how devastating a diagnosis of mental decline can be: Researchers found that rates of suicide rise sharply in the months after such news is delivered.

The study of almost 148,000 older U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs patients, mostly men, looke...

Legalized Pot Tied to Rise in Young Men's Suicide Attempts

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 22, 2021
• Full Page

States that make marijuana a readily available retail item might see an increase in self-harm among younger men, a new study suggests.

Researchers found a correlation between U.S. states' shifting marijuana policies and rates of self-harm among men younger than 40. Those...

Pandemic Unemployment Has Taken Its Own Deadly Toll

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 1, 2021
• Full Page

With U.S. deaths from COVID-19 passing the grim milestone of a half-million, a new study suggests that another 30,000-plus Americans have died due to pandemic-related unemployment.

Using various data sources, researchers estimated that number of deaths between April 2020...

As Social Media Time Rises, So Does Teen Girls' Suicide Risk

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

As the amount of time young teenage girls spend glued to Instagram, TikTok and other social media sites goes up, so does their long-term risk for suicide, a new study warns.

The finding stems from a decade spent tracking social media habits and suicide risk among 500 tee...

Handgun Ownership Raises Odds for Gun Suicide

• Robert Preidt
• February 15, 2021
• Full Page

Owning a handgun increases a person's risk of firearm-related suicide more than owning a shotgun, a new study finds.

Researchers surveyed surviving loved ones of 121 gun owners who had died by suicide, including 93 who died by a firearm and 28 by other means.

The s...

Child Suicides Are Rising During Lockdown; Watch for the Warning Signs

• Robert Preidt
• February 10, 2021
• Full Page

Among the many dangers the coronavirus pandemic has brought, parents really need to be on the lookout for one in particular: an increased risk of suicide among vulnerable teens.

"We've seen an upsurge in really bad suicide attempts," and the pandemic is likely behind tha...

What's Killing Detainees at U.S. ICE Facilities?

• Cara Murez
• January 26, 2021
• Full Page

Thirty-five detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities have died since April 2018, often because of preventable causes, such as COVID-19, flu and suicide, according to a new study.

One of them was a Mexican citizen who had first entered the Un...

Pot Use Ups Odds for Suicide in Young People With Bipolar Disorder

• Robert Preidt
• January 20, 2021
• Full Page

Marijuana addiction increases the risk of death by suicide, homicide and other causes (such as car crashes) in youth and young adults with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, a new study warns.

For the study, the researchers reviewed data on nearly 205,000 young peo...

Fewer U.S. Cancer Patients Are Dying From Suicide, Study Finds

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• January 19, 2021
• Full Page

New research reveals an encouraging trend: Despite the rate of suicide rising overall for Americans, U.S. cancer patients are actually less likely now to take their own life than in the past.

Researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) tracked national data on cause...

Many Parents Support 'Teens Helping Teens' Mental Health Programs at Schools: Poll

• Cara Murez
• January 19, 2021
• Full Page

It may take a village to support teens' mental health, whether it's during the pandemic or later.

One option is having school-based mental health programs that offer peer support leaders.

A new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at Mic...

ADHD Raises Adult Suicide Risk, Especially for Women

• Amy Norton
• December 29, 2020
• Full Page

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a strikingly high prevalence of attempted suicide, with women being at particular risk, researchers say.

The study of nearly 22,000 Canadian adults found that 14% of those with ADHD had attempted suici...

Counseling on Gun Safety Could Cut Suicide Rate in Military: Study

• Cara Murez
• December 29, 2020
• Full Page

When U.S. military personnel get gun locks and counseling on safe storage of their weapons, they store those guns safely, and that could be key to lowering the military suicide rate, researchers report.

"Suicide mortality is higher in homes with a firearm and the majorit...

Pandemic Tied to Higher Suicide Rate in Blacks, Lowered Rate in Whites: Study

• Denise Mann
• December 17, 2020
• Full Page

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated racial divides in health care in numerous ways, and a new study reveals yet another: Suicides among Black people doubled during COVID-19 lockdowns, while suicides in white individuals were cut in half during the same period.

"In p...

Loneliness Continues to Rise for Americans Under Lockdown

• Denise Mann
• December 15, 2020
• Full Page

Loneliness, particularly among folks under shelter-in-place orders, is a growing issue for Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, new research finds.

More people report they are feeling lonely, depressed and even harboring thoughts of suicide as COVID-19 cases in the...

329 Americans Are Injured by Guns Every Day: Study

• Cara Murez
• December 11, 2020
• Full Page

Firearm injury is a major health crisis in the United States and new research sheds more light on how many of those who are injured survive and the circumstances of their shootings.

For the study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University an...

Rap Music Is Putting Mental Health in the Spotlight

• Alan Mozes
• December 8, 2020
• Full Page

Beat-heavy rap music could help beat mental illness: Over the past two decades, the lyrics of the most popular songs in rap have increasingly hit on issues related to anxiety, depression and mental health, a new study reveals.

"I think anyone who's been a fan of rap musi...

Young Epilepsy Patients May Benefit From Mental Health Screening

• Robert Preidt
• December 4, 2020
• Full Page

Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are more common in children and teens with epilepsy than previously known, and they should be screened for such problems, researchers report.

They assessed 119 children and teens, aged 9 to18, with epilepsy. None had been diagnos...

More Childbearing Women Having Suicidal Thoughts: Study

• Amy Norton
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

The number of women who contemplate suicide or self-harm during or after pregnancy may be on the rise, a large, new study suggests.

Among nearly 600,000 U.S. childbearing women, researchers found that close to 2,700 were diagnosed with suicidality in the year before or a...

Disasters Leave a Rise in Suicides in Their Wake: Study

• Cara Murez
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

Hurricanes, tornadoes and other major disasters can cause more damage than devastation to property, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that the severe emotional distress and anxiety for those who have lived through major disasters can also lead to suicide.

The...

Buying Gun During Pandemic Might Raise Suicide Risk

• Steven Reinberg
• November 17, 2020
• Full Page

Those who buy guns as the pandemic rages are more likely to be suicidal than those who already own firearms, a new study finds.

In fact, among people who bought guns during the pandemic, about 70% reported having suicidal thoughts, while just 37% of other gun owners had ...

Could Propecia Up Young Men's Suicide Risk?

• Steven Reinberg
• November 12, 2020
• Full Page

Young men who consider using the drug Propecia to prevent baldness may be putting themselves at risk for depression and suicide, a new study suggests.

Information from the World Health Organization indicates that over the past 10 years, reports of suicidal ideation among...

'Diseases of Despair' Skyrocket in America

• Serena Gordon
• November 10, 2020
• Full Page

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, Americans were already suffering: A new study reports that alcohol and drug misuse were up dramatically, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were up 170% between 2009 and 2018.

Researchers call these conditions "diseases of des...

Money Worries Raise Suicide Risk in People With ADHD: Study

• Robert Preidt
• October 5, 2020
• Full Page

There's a link between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), financial stress and suicide risk, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed data on ADHD and suicide in Sweden from 2002 to 2015, as well as credit and default data from a random sample of more...

During Stress of Pandemic, Know Suicide's Warning Signs

• Robert Preidt
• September 29, 2020
• Full Page

Financial struggles, social isolation and anxiety are triggering feelings of hopelessness and helplessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, so it's important to know the warning signs when someone is contemplating suicide, an expert says.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Con...

Is Shock Therapy Making a Comeback Against Bipolar Disorder?

• Alan Mozes
• September 25, 2020
• Full Page

Over the years electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) -- commonly known as "shock therapy" -- has gotten a bad rap.

But new research out of Italy suggests that reputation may be unwarranted. Investigators found that among bipolar patients who fail to respond to standard tre...

Suicide Rate Keeps Rising Among Young Americans

• Steven Reinberg
• September 11, 2020
• Full Page

A nearly 60% jump in suicides by young Americans since 2007 has experts alarmed and somewhat puzzled.

Suicides among children and young people aged 10 to 24 rose 57% from 2007 to 2018, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Pr...

As Jobless Rates Climb, Study Finds Financial Stress Greatly Ups Suicide Risk

• Cara Roberts Murez
• September 3, 2020
• Full Page

As millions of people struggle with economic hardships during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study shows that financial stressors may make people up to 20 times more likely to attempt suicide.

The research suggests that mental health providers should consider financ...

Workplace Sexual Harassment Might Raise Suicide Risk: Study

• Robert Preidt
• September 3, 2020
• Full Page

In the midst of the 'Me Too' movement, a new study finds that people sexually harassed at work may be at increased risk for attempted suicide and suicide.

The findings out of Sweden show that workplace sexual harassment may "represent an important risk factor for sui...

With Tighter Handgun Laws, U.S. Would See Fewer Suicides by Young People

• Robert Preidt
• July 23, 2020
• Full Page

Hundreds of suicides could be prevented in the United States each year if the minimum age for buying a handgun was raised to 21 in the 33 states that have a minimum age of 18, according to a new study.

Suicide rates, especially among teens, have been rising in the Un...

Many LGBTQ Youth Suffer From Mental Health Woes

• Steven Reinberg
• July 21, 2020
• Full Page

As many as 40% of LGBTQ youth and more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth contemplated taking their life in the past year, according to a new report.

Also, one in three LGBTQ youth said they had been threatened or harmed because of their sexual identit...

Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Leave a Mental Health Crisis in Its Wake?

• Dennis Thompson
• July 6, 2020
• Full Page

Stressed from home-schooling your kids? Lonely from lockdown? Worried about a sick loved one isolated in a nursing home? Worried you might lose your job?

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone's mental health in ways small and large, and experts are conc...

Suicide Rate 170 Times Higher for People With Schizophrenia

• Steven Reinberg
• June 23, 2020
• Full Page

People with schizophrenia have a suicide rate 170 times higher than the general population, Canadian researchers report.

The researchers looked at 20 years of population data, including information on 75,000 patients with schizophrenia. Each was followed for about 1...

Fewer Suicide-Related ER Visits in COVID Era, and That Has Experts Worried

• Amy Norton
• June 8, 2020
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects, and a new study points to yet another: It may be keeping people from seeking emergency care for suicidal thoughts.

The study, at one large Ohio health system, found that ER visits for suicidal ideation dropped by ov...

When a Handgun Is in the Home, Suicide Risk Quickly Rises

• Amy Norton
• June 3, 2020
• Full Page

Handgun owners are at substantially heightened risk of suicide in the years after buying their first gun, a large new study finds.

The study of more than 26 million California residents found that first-time handgun owners were nearly four times more likely to die by...

Too Often, Bullying Has Lethal Consequences for LGBT Teens

• Alan Mozes
• May 26, 2020
• Full Page

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) youth who die by suicide are five times more likely to have been bullied than their straight counterparts.

The finding stems from a review of nearly 10,000 U.S. death records for 2003 to 2017. All of the youth were...

Mental Health is Big Issue For Police Officers Around The World: Study

• Robert Preidt
• May 22, 2020
• Full Page

Mental health problems and substance abuse are common among cops, and more needs to be done to address those issues, researchers say.

Previous studies have suggested that first responders have a higher risk of mental health issues than the general public, but it wasn...

Kids' ER Visits for Mental Health Problems Soared Over 10 Years

• Steven Reinberg
• May 11, 2020
• Full Page

Children treated in America's emergency rooms for mental health disorders jumped 60% over a recent decade, a new study finds.

Between 2007 and 2016, visits for self-harm like suicidal thoughts and cutting soared 329% and treatment for drug abuse rose 159%...