About Teen Suicide

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Coloradans between the ages of 10 and 19.



Youth Suicide—Nationally

Nationally, suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15-29, behind only homicides and accidents. Each year, there are approximately 12 suicides for every 100,000 adolescents, with approximately 12 young people between the ages of 15-24 dying every day by suicide.

Whereas suicides account for 1.2% of all deaths in the U.S. annually, they comprise 12.8% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds.

As if those statistics were not troubling enough, suicide rates have risen dramatically in recent years. Suicide rates for 15-24 year olds have more than doubled since the 1950’s, although they have remained largely stable at these higher levels since the late 1970’s. However, for those within that subgroup aged 15-19, the suicide rate has increased 11% between 1980 and 1997. The trends are even more discouraging for younger teens. Suicide rates for those between the ages of 10-14 increased 99% between 1980 and 1997.

Young males complete suicide at a rate four times that of young females. The male to female ratio (in 2000) of completed suicides was 3.7:1 among 10-14 year olds, 5:1 among 15-19 year olds, and 6.2:1 among 20-24 year olds.

Firearms remain the most commonly used suicide method among youth, regardless of race or gender, nearly accounting for almost 60% of completed suicides. Research has shown that the access to and the availability of firearms is a significant factor in the increase of youth suicide. Research has shown that most adolescent suicides occur in the afternoon or early evening and in the teen’s home. The typical profile of an adolescent nonfatal suicide attempter is a female who ingests pills; while the profile of the typical suicide completer is a male who dies from a gunshot wound.

Although rates vary somewhat by geographic location, within a typical high school classroom, it is likely that three students (one boy and two girls) have made a suicide attempt in the past year. Nationwide, nearly one in five high school students have stated on self-report surveys that they have seriously considered attempting suicide during the preceding 12 months.

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Youth Suicide in Colorado

The Colorado Trust, in its “Suicide in Colorado” report, declared that “Suicide deaths and attempts are a major public health problem in the state of Colorado.”

Rates of suicide are highest in the western regions of the United States, with the Rocky Mountain States indicating the highest rates of suicide. Currently, Colorado ranks 6th in overall suicide rates in the nation. Year after year, Colorado’s suicide rate is 30-40% higher than other states. In fact, Colorado’s suicide rate has exceeded national averages at least since 1910, when suicide data were first collected.

According to recent statistics provided by the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, despite the fact that suicide deaths remain slightly lower compared to other age groups, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10-19. In Colorado, for young people 15-24 years of age, the suicide rate increased three-fold between 1950 and 1980, though remained stable after that time. Most of this increase occurred in young men, where the suicide rate tripled from 6.5 to 20.0 per 100,000.

In any given year, roughly 800 Coloradans can be expected to die by suicide. In addition, survey results, such as those from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, demonstrate that alarmingly large numbers of young people in Colorado (and throughout the country) report having made serious plans for suicide attempts.

Adolescent boys show patterns of suicide that differ strongly from adolescent girls. While boys are more likely to complete suicide, girls think about suicide and make suicide plans more often. Girls are also more likely to be hospitalized for a suicide attempt. In addition, young people, particularly young women, are much more likely to be hospitalized for a suicide attempt than older age groups.

Psychiatric diseases, especially depression, mood, and conduct disorders and alcohol and substance abuse, contribute to the risk of teen suicide. At the same time, according to the report “Violence in Colorado,” of the 44 teenagers who committed suicide in Colorado in 1990, “most were impulsive, with little or no planning.” Television and print media may also add to the risk of suicide; teens appear to be particularly susceptible to glorified portrayals of suicide by other teens, leading to well-documented “outbreaks” of teen suicide, sometimes described as a contagion effect.

Addressing youth suicide poses particular challenges since research has demonstrated that suicidal youth are not likely to seek help for their suicide issues.

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Availability of Affordable Treatment

Outreach toward people at risk for suicide who are not receiving appropriate treatment is one of the prevention strategies recommended by former U.S. Surgeon General, David Satcher, as part of his proposed national strategy for suicide prevention. Empirical evidence from other parts of the world confirms that access to services can help reduce suicide. Regions with higher rates of inpatient and outpatient treatment for depression, in particular, have been found to have fewer suicide rates.

According to a survey of individuals who say they are suicidal, cost of treatment was a concern for a high proportion of respondents. Among people who have considered suicide, 62% stated that expense was a factor in their not seeking help. Youth at-risk for suicide generally cannot control whether they can afford treatment, and so they are forced to rely on their parents’ decision regarding whether or not treatment is affordable.

Along the same lines, a survey of stakeholders in counties throughout Colorado has revealed that the major barrier to the expansion of suicide prevention programs is a lack of funding. Eighty-five percent of community stakeholders and 74% of school district representatives identified a lack of funding as the major barrier to suicide program expansion.

Many Americans eligible for treatment have limited or no insurance coverage for mental health services. As reported by the U.S. surgeon general, insurance coverage for mental health is extremely variable across different types of plans and sponsors, with “most plans offering less than adequate coverage.”

Patients without adequate mental health insurance coverage frequently fail to obtain needed services. Providing appropriate treatment for mental illness can be costly. One study has shown that it costs roughly $2,430 a year to treat patients who suffer from serious mental illness. According to The Colorado Trust, in Colorado, state funds are not sufficient to cover these costs. Furthermore, the Colorado Trust observes that the public system does absorb some of this cost, as individuals are referred to those few mental health agencies that provide services on a pro bono (or sliding scale) basis to individuals who cannot afford to pay for them. However, because of a lack of public funding, these clients are placed on a waiting list to begin routine care at most community health clinics.

Accordingly, The Colorado Trust’s “Three Strategies” for suicide prevention includes the improvement of financing for mental health services. The Colorado Trust has concluded that “to improve the ability of the mental health system to meet the needs of individuals at risk for committing suicide, mental health services should be available and affordable, particularly to people contemplating suicide.”

Between 1990 and 1997, per-capita expenditures for mental health in Colorado increased slightly, although expenditures did not keep pace with inflation. With the fifth-highest suicide rate in the nation, Colorado ranked 35th among states in per capita mental health funding.

The Colorado Trust has concluded, broadly, that “to prevent suicide attempts and deaths, the state of Colorado needs to make a commitment to ensure funding from both public and private sources so that necessary services are both available and affordable.”

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The Second Wind Fund’s Role in Preventing Youth Suicide

In conjunction with Colorado’s Office of Suicide Prevention, The Colorado Trust has recommended that a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention be pursued as the best means for reducing suicide prevention, including:

As a fund that only addresses affordable access to treatment for at-risk youth, the Second Wind Fund is not in itself a comprehensive program. However, Second Wind fulfills one key need for one age group. As we expand our program, we look forward to working with other private and government groups in ensuring that every community is covered by the type of comprehensive program recently envisioned by authorities on the subject.

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How to Identify Youth At-Risk for Suicide, and What to Do


Ways to Identify At-Risk Youth

Suicide cuts across all economic, social, and ethnic boundaries.

Not all adolescent attempters may admit their intent. Therefore, any deliberate self-harming behaviors should be considered serious and in need of further evaluation.

Most adolescent suicide attempts are precipitated by interpersonal conflicts. The vast majority of individuals who are suicidal often display clues and warning signs, but others are either unaware of the significance of these warnings or do not know how to respond to them. The intent of the behavior appears to be to effect change in the behaviors or attitudes of others.

Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal individuals desperately want to live; they are just unable to see alternatives to their problems. The following list describes some potential factors of risk for suicide among youth. If observed, a professional evaluation is strongly recommended:



Be Aware of the Warning Signs

Evidence that someone is seriously planning to commit suicide represents a clear signal that help is needed. By some estimates, four out of five people who commit suicide have tried to warn others of their intent through verbal statements, written notes, demonstrating a preoccupation with death or other behavior indicating that they are planning to end their life. Fortunately there are some common warning signs which, when acted upon, can save lives. A suicidal youth may:



Be Aware of Feelings, Thoughts, and Behaviors

Nearly everyone at some time in his or her life thinks about suicide. Most everyone decides to live because they come to realize that the crisis is temporary, but death is not. On the other hand, people in the midst of a crisis often perceive their dilemma as inescapable and feel an utter loss of control. Frequently, they:



Ways to be Helpful to Someone Who is Threatening Suicide

Talking about suicide does not cause someone to be suicidal.

The information on this page has been adapted from the following sources:

American Association of Suicidology website: “Youth Suicide Fact Sheet”
American Association of Suicidology website: “Some Facts About Suicide in the U.S.A.”
American Association of Suicidology website: “Understanding and Helping the Individual”
State of Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention. Recent data provided by the Office of Suicide Prevention via correspondence.
The Colorado Trust, “Suicide in Colorado.”
State of Colorado Suicide Prevention and Intervention Plan, The Report of the Governor’s Suicide Prevention Advisory Commission. November 1998.

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See our "Statewide Affiliates" page for links to our affiliates in other communities, and our "Local Partners" page for links to our corporate and faith community sponsors, as well as grantmaking foundations.

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