It always surprises me that no one seems to know when a loved one is on a suicide mission.

It always surprises me that no one seems to know when someone they love is on a suicide mission. Of course, I know you can never save someone from themselves. Still, knowledge is power. When you think someone has given up, you might stop them, ask them how they're really doing, and reassure them that they are not alone and there is someone who cares whether they make it through this journey called "life," or not.

The list of suicides goes on and on, but the the death of recording artist and musical genius, Prince, especially saddened me and probably you as well. To die leaving at least 300 million dollars to no one in particular seems tragic. Now that he can no longer speak for himself, it seems he has more relatives than the law allows. Where were they when he needed someone to talk to?

If you love someone, you need to check their vital signs, tell them you love them, and spend time with them so they know they are not alone and  they can feel confident knowing you are there to support them. And no, you will not leave. After you have said and done this, you can only hope and pray that what you said made a difference.

The suicide statistics below are excerpted from the website, www.save.org. Access the website for additional information.

Suicide Facts

SAVE uses the most current data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.    In 2014, there were 42,773 deaths by suicide in the United States. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death; homicide ranks 17th.  It is the second leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds.  Click on the chart to the right which shows the Ten Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. in 2014.  For more data, you may visit  www.cdc.gov or www.who.int.  For more comprehensive data, visit the CDC website's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)

General Statistics

• Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the US for all ages. (CDC)
• The suicide rates decreased from 1990-2000 from 12.5 suicides per 100,000 to 10.4 per 100,000.  Over the past decade, however, the rate has again increased to 12.1 per 100,000. Every day, approximately 105 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)
• There is one death by suicide in the US every 12.3 minutes. (CDC)
• Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC)
• Suicide takes the lives of over 38,000 Americans every year. (CDC)
• Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment. (NAMI)
• 80% -90% of adolescents that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. (TADS)
• An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors (AAS).
• There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. (CDC)
• There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC)