Science News About Suicide Prevention
Emergency Department Study Reveals Patterns of Patients at Increased Risk for Suicide
December 13, 2019 • Press Release
A new NIMH-funded study found that people who presented to California emergency departments with deliberate self-harm or suicidal ideation had suicide rates significantly higher than those of demographically similar Californians in the year after discharge.
NIH Announces Winners of High School Mental Health Essay Contest
September 30, 2019 • Press Release
NIH announces 10 winners of the "Speaking Up About Mental Health! This Is My Story" national essay challenge, aimed at spurring conversations among youth about mental health and encouraging them to seek support for themselves and others.
Crisis and Suicide Prevention Services Struggle with Demand after Celebrity Suicides
April 30, 2019 • Press Release
The United States may lack the resources needed to meet increases in demand for suicide prevention services that occur after celebrity suicides, according to a recent study of crisis mental health services published in the journal Psychiatric Services.
Release of "13 Reasons Why" Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates
A study conducted by researchers at several universities, hospitals, and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" was associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the shows release, after accounting for ongoing trends in suicide rates.
Nationwide Essay Contest Challenges High Schoolers to be Frank About Mental Health
The National Institutes of Health invites students ages 16 to 18 years old to participate in the "Speaking Up About Mental Health!" essay contest to explore ways to address the stigma and social barriers that adolescents from racial and ethnic minority populations may face when seeking mental health treatment.
Suicide: How You Can Make a Difference
March 26, 2019 • Science Update
The recent deaths of two school shooting survivors has brought the topic of suicide into everyday conversations. It's important to know some facts and to know what to do if you think someone might be at risk for self-harm.
NIH Study Shows Many Preteens Screen Positive for Suicide Risk During ER Visits
A research team found nearly one-third of youth ages 10 to 12 years screened positive for suicide risk in emergency department settings, including those seeking help for physical concerns only.
New Pathways for Implementing Universal Suicide Risk Screening in Healthcare Settings
A new report provides guidance on how to implement universal suicide risk screening of youth in medical settings. The report describes a way for hospitals to address the rising suicide rate in a way that is flexible and mindful of limited resources.
NIMH Addresses Strategies for Suicide Prevention in Live Event
November 7, 2018 • Institute Update
During NIMH's Facebook Live event held in recognition of Suicide Prevention Week, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon and Dr. Jane Pearson, chair of the Suicide Research Consortium in NIMH's Division of Services and Intervention Research, discussed some of the most recent suicide prevention research findings from NIMH, warning signs, and prevention strategies.
NIH Directors Address Chronic Pain and Opioid Crisis at Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting
November 2, 2018 • Science Update
On Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at a press conference at the Society for Neuroscience's annual Meeting, National Institutes of Health directors will discuss how NIH is marshalling resources, primarily through the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, to come up with short- and long-term solutions for countering the pain and opioid crisis.
Media Advisory: NIMH Researchers Available to Discuss the Suicide Prevention Research
August 23, 2018 • Institute Update
For National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon and Dr. Jane Pearson, chair of the Suicide Research Consortium at the NIMH, are available for interviews on suicide prevention research, trends, and the findings and implications of recent studies.
New Toolkit Offers Ways to Evaluate Suicide Prevention Efforts in Arctic Communities
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in collaboration with the Mental Health Innovation Network and other federal partners, has released the RISING SUN toolkit to help clinicians, communities, policymakers, and researchers measure the impact and effectiveness of suicide prevention efforts in rural and tribal communities.
Predicting Suicide Attempts and Suicide Deaths Using Electronic Health Records
Researchers have developed a new prediction model that substantially outperforms existing self-report tools used to predict an individual's risk of a suicide attempt or dying by suicide.
Therapy Reduces Risk in Suicidal Youth
A recent clinical trial of a psychotherapy called dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)—which has been shown to be effective in reducing suicide-related behavior in adults—showed that DBT can also reduce suicide attempts and suicidal behavior in adolescents.
The recent deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain have brought the topic of suicide into everyday conversations. It's important to know some facts and to know what to do if you think someone might be at risk for self-harm.
Age-Related Racial Disparity in Suicide Rates Among U.S. Youth
May 21, 2018 • Press Release
Researchers have discovered an age-related racial disparity in suicide rates for U.S. youth between the ages of 5 and 17. The findings suggest a need for more research into contributing factors and targeted interventions for children.
Hubs Help Native American Communities Address Youth Suicide
Three NIMH-funded collaborative research hubs are exploring the factors behind the high suicide rates among American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) youth and designing and testing approaches to preventing suicide.
Intramural Researchers Develop Suicide Risk Screening Toolkit for Medical Settings
NIMH researchers have developed a brief screening questionnaire for medical professionals to identify youth at risk for suicide.
Life-Saving Post-ER Suicide Prevention Strategies are Cost Effective
Three interventions designed for follow up of patients who are identified with suicide risk in hospital emergency departments save lives and are cost effective relative to usual care.
Emergency Departments Could Play Significant Role in Reducing Suicide Attempts
May 1, 2017 • Science Update
Research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) shows hospital emergency departments can play a vital role in lowering the number of suicide attempts among adults by as much as 30 percent.
NIMH Funds 3 'Zero Suicide' Grants
September 16, 2016 • Science Update
NIMH is supporting Zero Suicide efforts with 3 new research grants. Each project focuses on prevention and health care systems.
Coping With Familial Mental Illness in Stressful Times
"An NIH/NIMH lifer" reveals how his Asian American family successfully coped with severe mental illness compounded by discrimination.
National Suicide Prevention Month: Update 2015
In the year following the release of a Prioritized Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Research Prioritization Task Force, NIMH has undertaken a series of initiatives aimed at reducing suicide rates within specific risk groups and settings. The goal is to identify through research the most effective strategies for preventing suicide, for the greatest number of people.
Embracing the SPIRIT of reducing suicide
NIMH, NIH, and the National Institute of Justice are collaborating on a 4-year, $6.8 million study called Suicide Prevention for at-Risk Individuals in Transition or "SPIRIT." The study focuses on the high-risk individuals who are transitioning from jail to community. SPIRIT is NIMH's first major investment in suicide prevention in the justice system.
Study May Help Department of Veterans Affairs Find Patients with High Risk of Suicide
June 11, 2015 • Press Release
Scientists used health data to identify very small groups of VHA patients with very high, predicted suicide risk. Such methods can help the VHA to target suicide prevention efforts for patients at high risk, and may have more wide-ranging benefits.
Webinar Series - Suicide Prevention: An Action Plan to Save Lives
Suicide Prevention: An Action Plan to Save Lives
Soldiers at Increased Suicide Risk after Leaving Hospital
Soldiers hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder have a higher suicide risk in the year following discharge from the hospital.
Groundbreaking Suicide Study
October 10, 2014 • Science Update
A groundbreaking study will help researchers learn more about treating people with suicidal thoughts. Nearly 20,000 patients will be able to enroll in the trial. One of the treatments being tested was developed with the help of other patients
Personalized Screen to ID Suicidal Teens in 14 ERs
A new study will develop and test a personalized, computer-based suicide risk screening tool to help ERs identify troubled teenagers.
Most Individuals Receive Health Services a Year Before Suicide Death
Undetected suicide risk is a critical issue in primary care. According to a NIMH-funded study published in the February 2014 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 83 percent of individuals received health care services in the year prior to suicide death and half did not have a mental health diagnosis.
Brain Region Singled Out for Social Memory, Possible Therapeutic Target for Select Brain Disorders
The hippocampus houses learning and memory—specifically the storage of knowledge of who, what, where, and when. Using a special transgenic mouse, researchers have now pinpointed a hippocampal region called CA2 that is important for social memory, the ability of animal to recognize another of the same species. Understanding this region could be useful in understanding and treating disorders characterized by altered social behaviors such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism.
Suicide in the Military: Army-NIH Funded Study Points to Risk and Protective Factors
March 3, 2014 • Press Release
Although the suicide attempt and death rates in the U.S. Army have been historically below the civilian rate, these rates began climbing in the early 2000s, and by 2008, exceeded those of civilians. A joint study between the Army and NIMH, called Army STARRS, recently released findings that shed light on the problem.