Suicide is a complex act that results from many factors, not all of which are understood. It is not clear or predictable why the setbacks, losses, or difficulties that would lead one person to feel very unhappy may lead another person to be suicidal. It is estimated that about 30,000 Americans die as the result of suicide each year, while about 20,000 people are murdered. Some experts, however, believe that the number of suicides is even higher. Many “accidents,” such as self-inflicted gunshot wounds or single-car crashes, actually may be unrecognized or unreported suicides. Although no official record is kept of suicide attempts, it is estimated that there are between 8 and 25 attempts for each completed suicide. Overall, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. Suicides are not spread equally throughout the population. Although more women than men attempt suicide, about four times more men die, because they use more lethal means. Men of European ancestry committed 72 percent of all suicides in 1997, while women of European ancestry accounted for about 18 percent of these deaths. The rate of suicide among people of Native American ancestry, especially young men ages 15 to 24, is particularly high. The suicide rate among men of African ancestry ages 15 to 19 doubled between 1980 and 1996. Age is another factor in suicide. After age 65, the rate of suicide among men of European heritage increases steadily as they get older. Men of European heritage who are older than 85 have a suicide rate that is six times the national average. The reasons for the different rates of suicide among people of different ethnic backgrounds, gender, and ages vary. Some factors include increased rates of alcoholism, poverty, loneliness, and violence for particular groups at a particular time of life.
