09/03/2026
"Thought for the Day"
If you or a loved one are having thoughts of self-harm or need immediate support, you can contact the National Su***de Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255/TALK) or Crisis Text Line by texting “NAMI” to 741-741. In a life-threatening situation, go to your nearest psychiatric emergency room or call 911.
Suicidal thoughts are common among teens and young adults. In fact, about 11% of young adults (ages 18-25) report that they’ve had serious thoughts about su***de, and about 1–2% report a su***de attempt during the prior year. These numbers are higher among high school students — nearly 20% report serious thoughts about su***de and 9% report a su***de attempt. Among young adults 15–24 years old in the U.S., the rate of death by su***de in 2019 was about 14 per 100,000 people — slightly higher than one su***de for every 10,000 people in this age group.
These numbers are frightening, but there is also hope — if we can identify and support young people who are experiencing mental health symptoms, including thinking about su***de, we have an opportunity to help prevent tragedy. There is a large gap between the number of young people thinking about su***de (about 1 in 10) and the number who die by su***de (1 in 10,000). In other words, there are 1,000 young people currently struggling with the idea of ending their life for each young person lost to su***de. Most importantly, that means that there are 1,000 opportunities to provide understanding and support to those experiencing difficulties.
***depreventionawarenessmonth
