Did You Know?
- Approximately 1,350 college students die by suicide each year, about 3 per day.1
- Research consistently reports that distressed college students first turn to friends for help.1
- 52% of students who confided in others about their suicidal ideation reported that telling the first
person was helpful or very helpful in dealing with suicide thoughts.1
- Males are three times more likely to die by suicide than females, but women attempt suicide at
rates two to three times the rate of males.2
- Male veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide as the general male population.2
- Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, particularly adolescents and youth, have significantly
higher rates for suicidal behavior.2
- Each suicide seriously impacts at least six other people.2
- It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of those who have significant mental health problems do not
seek treatment because of fears of stigma and discrimination.2
- Untreated mental illnesses – specifically depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance
abuse- are the leading contributory causes of suicide in young adults.2
- Studies show that nearly 1 in 5 individuals in California report needing help with a mental or
emotional health problem.2
- Only about one-quarter of young adults between the ages of 18-24 believe that a person with
mental illness can eventually recover.3
- Only a little more than one-half (54%) of young adults who know someone with a mental illness
believe that treatment can help people with mental illnesses lead normal lives.3