The suicide rates among teenagers and young adults have increased in the past decade, outpacing the jumps in all other age groups, a new government study shows.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study reported between 2007 to 2017, the number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 suddenly skyrocketed 56% — from 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people to 10.6, according to The Washington Post.
Suicide now ranks as the second-most common cause of death among teens and young adults, outpacing homicides. Accidents remain the No. 1 cause of death.
"Just looking at these numbers, it's hard not to find them completely disturbing. It should be a call to action," Lisa Horowitz, a pediatric psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, told the Post.
"If you had kids suddenly dying at these rates from a new disease or infection, there would be a huge outcry. But most people don't even know this is happening. It's not recognized for the public health crisis it has become."
When broken down by age groups, the suicide rate for those aged 10 to 14 almost tripled between 2007 and 2017. For teens from 15-19, the rate surged 76%.
For 20- to 24-year-olds, the rate of suicides has been rising from 2000 to 2017 at a rate of 36%.
"It's a complex problem with no easy answers so far," Ursula Whiteside, a researcher with the University of Washington, told the news outlet.
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