Understanding Suicide

Suicide is a serious public health issue that can affect people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. While there is no single reason why someone may think about suicide, there are factors that can increase or decrease a person’s risk.

Understanding suicide can help us recognize when someone may be struggling, start conversations that could make a difference, and connect people with support.

Risk factors are circumstances or experiences that may increase the likelihood that someone will consider, attempt, or die by suicide. Read more

Protective factors are strengths, supports, and connections that can help reduce that risk. Read more

Warning signs are changes in behavior, emotions, or circumstances that may indicate someone is in immediate danger and needs help.

The good news is that suicide prevention is something we can all be part of. Learning how to recognize when someone may be struggling and how to talk openly about suicide can help people feel less alone.

How to Start the Conversation

It's difficult when family, friends, or colleagues seem to be struggling with their mental health.

If you’re worried about someone, ask how they’re doing.
Listen openly, actively, without judgment.
Give them space to talk, it’s okay to pause and wait as they collect their thoughts.
Pay attention to their body language.

Provide support

Ask what they need. Let them guide you in identifying what would feel helpful.
Offer practical support. Help with everyday tasks, make plans together, or simply spend time with them.
Encourage connection. Help them identify trusted people or activities that can provide support and connection.
Help them find additional support. If they’re open to it, encourage them to connect with a counselor, healthcare provider, or other trusted resource.
Check in again. A follow-up message or conversation can remind someone that you care and that they don’t have to navigate a difficult time alone.

Risk Factors

Mental health conditions, especially depression and anxiety disorders
Substance use disorders
Previous suicide attempts
Family history of suicide
Social isolation and lack of support
Access to lethal means
Recent significant losses or life changes

Access to mental health care, and being proactive about mental health
Feeling connected to family and community support
Problem-solving and coping skills
Limited access to lethal means
Cultural and religious beliefs that encourage connecting and help-seeking, discourage suicidal behavior, or create a strong sense of purpose or self-esteem

Talking about wanting to die or kill themselves
Looking for ways to kill themselves
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
Acting anxious or agitated
Withdrawing from family and friends
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
Taking risks that could lead to death
Giving away prized possessions

Lethal Means and Why They Matter

Talking about suicide can be difficult, but the fact remains; if we want to prevent deaths by suicide, we need to talk about suicide and suicide prevention strategies.

One effective suicide prevention strategy is lethal means safety.

Lethal Means’ refers to any object, substance, or action that might be used in a suicide attempt. Examples include firearms, poisons, and medications.

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)

CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) is a suicide-prevention training focused on reducing access to highly lethal means during periods of elevated risk.

In 2024, Chester County Suicide Prevention Partnership (CCSPP) expanded their training offerings to included lethal means for mental health professionals in Chester County through a series of Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Clinical Workshops. Please visit our Trainings page to find upcoming learning opportunities and continue reading for more information on CALM.

Reducing Access to Lethal Means

Medications

Medications that have expired or are no longer needed should be removed from the home and disposed of. This practice is not only a suicide prevention strategy, but also can reduce the chances of an accidental overdose and keep children and teens in the home safe.

Chester County has a number of permanent Medication Disposal Locations where you can safely and anonymously dispose of some prescription and over-the-counter medications. If suicide is a concern for someone in the home, medications that are still in use should be stored in a lock box.

For more information on lockboxes, click here.

Firearms

When possible, store firearms outside of the home. There are organizations that can help families find safe storage locations. For example, organizations like Pause to Protect serve as a bridge between the firearms community and those who care deeply about suicide prevention.

You can also contact your local police department or gun range to see if they have temporary storage options. If firearms cannot be stored outside the home, store ammunition and the gun separately, both in locked safes. Use cable locks or gun safety locks in addition to storing the firearm in a locked safe.

For more information on safe storage options for firearms, click here.

Remember: When it comes to saving lives, means matter, safe storage is critical, and preventing suicide is everyone’s business.

National Statistics for 2024

In 2024, there were 48,824 suicide-related deaths, a decrease by 1% from 2023 (49,316).
In 2024, there were an estimated 2.2M suicide attempts, a 1.5 times increase form 2023.
In 2024, the suicide rate was 13.7 per 100,000 people. This represents a 2% decrease compared with 2023 and a 4% decrease compared with 2022. While these recent trends show decrease, the rate remains 32% higher than in 2000 (10.4 per 100,000 people).
Suicide-related deaths were four times higher among males (38,977) compared to females (9,847).
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults ages 15-34. However, suicide rates in this age group decreased by 4% from 2023 to 2024, declining from 15.9 to 15.2 per 100,000.
White individuals accounted for 85% of suicide deaths in 2024. Suicide rates among Black individuals increased steadily from 7.0 to 8.7 per 100,000 between 2018 and 2023 (24.3% increase), followed by a slight decrease to 8.4 per 100,000 (3.4% decrease) from 2023 to 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the suicide rate among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations declined by 25%, decreasing from 15.4 to 11.5 per 100,000. Conversely, the rate among Asian Americans saw the largest increase, rising from 6.3 to 6.8 per 100,000.
Firearms were the most common method of death by suicide, accounting for more than half of all suicide deaths (57%). The firearm suicide rate has increased by nearly 13% from 2020 (6.9 per 100,000 people) to 2024 (7.8 per 100,00 people). The firearm suicide rate unfortunately reached an all-time high in 2024.

Source(s): American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

These statistics provide a look at suicide deaths in Chester County over time and help us understand the continued need for suicide prevention efforts in our community. While changes in suicide rates from year to year are important to understand, they are influenced by many individual, social, economic, and community factors, and the data alone cannot tell us why those changes occur or determine the impact of any one effort. What these numbers remind us is that suicide continues to affect our community — and there is more work to do. Together, we can help build a community where everyone has the support, connection, and resources they need to stay safe.

Local Statistics

Chester County Suicide Data

Year	Number of Suicide Deaths	Population	Rate per 100,000
2025	56	557,116	10.05
2024	57	560,745	10.1
2023	60	549,784	10.9
2022	70	545,823	12.8
2021	55	538,649	10.2
2020	53	534,413	9.9
2019	57	524,989	10.9
2018	63	522,046	12.1
2017	68	519,293	13.1
2016	64	516,312	12.4

Additional Resources

As always, if you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to receive immediate support. For Veterans, call 988 then press 1.