2008 Woodie Awards
College suicide rate rises
Jessica Chesko
Issue date: 10/20/06 Section: News
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Suicide is threatening to become the most serious problem among college age students. As of now, it is the third leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 86 percent of these suicides were male and 14 percent were female.
Each year, approximately 5,000 college students die by suicide according to the National Mental Health Association. Of these suicides, 54 percent were committed using firearms. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States today, according to the NMHA. 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year out of an additional 500,000 who attempt suicide every year.
The statistics tend to vary among different age groups, races and even between men and women. According to the CDC, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among men in the United States.
Someone around the globe commits suicide every 40 seconds, according to the World Health Organization.
Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than females. However, women are reported to have attempted suicide during their lifetime, about three times as often as men; men just succeeded more often.
"I think that's probably because it seems that men are more violent than women," said Jessica Storm, a sophomore studio arts major. "Guys aren't as good at dealing with emotions as women are, so they kind of take out their emotions with violence."
However, completed suicides are only part of the problem. More people are hospitalized and treated for attempted suicide than are actually killed. The ratio of attempts to completed suicides is at least 10 to 1, according to the NMHA.
Suicide deaths outnumber homicide deaths five to three, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. "I do find it hard to believe, especially in this area, that there are more suicides than homicides," said Jeff Batt, a senior graphic design major "I mean Philadelphia is one of the top murder cities in the country."
Each year, approximately 5,000 college students die by suicide according to the National Mental Health Association. Of these suicides, 54 percent were committed using firearms. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States today, according to the NMHA. 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year out of an additional 500,000 who attempt suicide every year.
The statistics tend to vary among different age groups, races and even between men and women. According to the CDC, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among men in the United States.
Someone around the globe commits suicide every 40 seconds, according to the World Health Organization.
Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than females. However, women are reported to have attempted suicide during their lifetime, about three times as often as men; men just succeeded more often.
"I think that's probably because it seems that men are more violent than women," said Jessica Storm, a sophomore studio arts major. "Guys aren't as good at dealing with emotions as women are, so they kind of take out their emotions with violence."
However, completed suicides are only part of the problem. More people are hospitalized and treated for attempted suicide than are actually killed. The ratio of attempts to completed suicides is at least 10 to 1, according to the NMHA.
Suicide deaths outnumber homicide deaths five to three, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. "I do find it hard to believe, especially in this area, that there are more suicides than homicides," said Jeff Batt, a senior graphic design major "I mean Philadelphia is one of the top murder cities in the country."
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