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annual report – NBC 7 San Diego

annual report – NBC 7 San Diego

Data released Monday by the county’s Suicide Prevention Council shows the number of suicides in San Diego County increased by four in 2023, a 1% increase from the previous year.

The figure – 363 – included in the council’s annual report to communities represents an increase of 6% from 2021. Despite the increase, the number of suicides as a method of death is actually trending down from 416 in 2019, a decline of 12%. The council also published an action plan to prevent suicide.

These numbers do not include survivors’ suicide attempts. County officials said numbers for 2023 are not yet clear. Data is difficult to collect, so statistics are usually delayed in time. In 2022, there were 3,789 cases of attempted suicide or intentional self-harm that did not result in death.

When broken down by demographics, the most deaths by suicide were among older white men or East County residents — even though overall numbers have actually declined in this geographic region. Firearms accounted for more than half of all suicides among men 65 and older and were the most common method for men.

“We want everyone in San Diego County to know that you can personally start a conversation about suicide and even help prevent it. Use this action plan to stay informed and learn how to make a difference,” said San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “Guns are the most frequently reported form of suicide in our region, so the Board of Supervisors will continue to guide commonsense regulations, such as safe gun storage, so that guns are kept safe and less likely to fall into the wrong hands.”

The report shows that suicide is the second leading cause of death among 20–29-year-olds and the third leading cause of death among 30–39-year-olds. Asphyxiation and intentional drug overdose were the second and third most common suicide methods.

Between 2022 and 2023, the number of suicides among children and young people aged 10-24 increased by 56%.

In November 2024, the county’s behavioral health authority began deploying mobile emergency response teams to school districts in San Diego County. The Helping, Engaging, Reconnecting and Education Now program “reached more than 3,800 students for suicide risk assessments and interventions,” the county said.

The report and action plan set out detailed plans to prevent people from taking their own lives. Some of the plans include removing the stigma associated with mental illness through media campaigns, looking at root causes generally but particularly among underserved and at-risk populations, providing people with opportunities to learn social-emotional skills that promote self-care, clinical assessment and a focus on reducing access to specific methods of suicide.

Local authorities offer free suicide prevention training. Find out more at www.SPCSanDiego.org.

If you or a loved one needs support, call the Access & Crisis Line seven days a week/24 hours a day at 888-724-7240. You don’t have to be in crisis to call. You can also request a mobile crisis response team at this phone number.

Counselors offer support and resources if you’re in crisis, just need to talk, or have questions about how to offer support to someone else. The line is free and confidential, and support is available in over 200 languages. You can also call the national suicide and crisis hotline on 988.