RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — September is National Suicide Awareness Month and a nonprofit operating in Virginia is hoping to raise awareness about its resources.
According to new data released by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA), there was a 6.6% increase in the number of hospital emergency department visits in the state among patients who attempted suicide over the last four years.
“We want to, if nothing else, arm people with a little bit of information about how they might play a positive role or intervene if someone in their lives is considering self-harm,” said Julian Walker, Vice President of Communications for VHHA.
Walker said the number of suicide attempts has jumped from 863 in 2020 to 920 in 2023. He said this data tracks with similar national numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“In 2022 nationwide, more than 49,000 deaths were attributed to suicide, which the CDC says is equivalent to about one death every 11 minutes from suicide,” Walker said. “CDC estimates that 13.2 million adults in the U.S. seriously thought about suicide in 2022, 3.8 million planned a suicide and 1.6 million attempted a suicide.”