While suicide deaths have fallen significantly across the U.S. in recent years, a new report reveals one state has actually seen quite an uptick.
New Hampshire saw a stunning increase of 12 percent between 2023-2024, as suicide deaths fell three percent nationally, according to the non-profit research organization Trust for America's Health.
It’s unclear why New Hampshire saw such a major increase, although rural areas tend to see higher suicide rates, the report found.
New Hampshire wasn’t the only state to see an increase. Iowa saw a 10 percent rise, and Connecticut and South Carolina were both at nine percent.
The Midwest was found to have the most suicides, and the Northeast saw the fewest. Although, every region has seen increases since 2004.
“The Northeast increased 24 percent, the Midwest increased 36 percent, the South increased 23 percent and the West increased 14 percent” since 2004, the non-profit wrote.
Firearm use in suicide has also been rising in recent years, according to federal data released in April.
The majority of suicides from 2023-2024 – more than half – involved firearms, the report noted.
“Suicide by firearm and suffocation/hanging have both increased substantially since 2004,” the report said.
While the report does not draw conclusions about its data, it does provide recommendations for steps to counteract rising rates.
For example, it calls for further federal investment in mental health resources, efforts to limit access to firearms and other lethal methods of suicide and maintaining resources cut under the Trump administration.
The non-profit cited the shutdown of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ youth services and funding cuts to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in an accompanying release.
“Sustaining and building on recent progress requires the federal government to invest even more in programs that reduce and prevent harm — not cut them — while also investing in the skilled workforce and modern data systems necessary to deliver and evaluate those programs effectively,” Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, the president of the non-profit, said.
“We are also seeing specific groups of people not experiencing the same progress, especially when it comes to deaths from suicide, meaning we need to do even more to build strong policies and programs that help to improve everyone’s mental health and well-being,” she added.
In April, it was announced the 988 line specifically for LGBTQ+ youth would be reinstated, according to MedPage Today, although it’s not clear when.
As of Wednesday, the option to “Press 3” for that line was not yet functional, a call made by The Independent showed.
Data shows the number of Americans suffering mental health problems has risen in recent decades, with nearly one in 10 people reporting reporting a mental health crisis in 2024, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“We are hopeful to see the suicide rate continue to decrease, but the urgency is still tremendous to save lives,” Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, the chief medical officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said in April. “One life lost to suicide is too many.”
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
