August 19, 2014 – Suicide attempts

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Anchor lead:  While almost 40,000 people die each year from suicide, many more attempts are made, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Middle-aged people comprise the fastest growing group of those who attempt suicide and show up in emergency departments, a recent study showed.  Adam Kaplin, a suicide expert at Johns Hopkins, says when an attempt is made this is clearly the moment to intervene.

Kaplin: People who have attempted suicide and showed up in emergency rooms are much more likely to go on and commit suicide in the year after their attempt. There is this epidemic going on, more than motor vehicle accidents, more than overdoses accidental, there needs to be a recognition that gee, this is important, we need to address this, this is a public health issue, because 500,000 people will attempt suicide in a year, usually about 25 attempts for every single success.  :32

Kaplin says stigma remains about mental illness that precludes many people coming forward and asking for help.  At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.