Behavioral Health

Navigating the Difficult Subject of Suicide

When people end their lives by suicide, the effects ripple outward to family, friends, coworkers, and communities. Our goal is to stem the rate so that fewer Arizonans become part of these statistics.

If you're in a crisis, call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to get support now.

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Recognizing Signs of Suicide

  • What to Look For

    Many suicides can be prevented when you know the signs.
  • Recognizing Suicide in Teens

    Learn how to help Arizona teenagers and the resources you have as a parent.

How to care for your mental health

  • Find a Mental Health Professional

    Get understanding, compassionate help and an action plan to take care of your mind.
  • Know the Provider Types

    Some providers provide therapy, and some provide diagnoses and manage medications. Know who to go to.
  • Build Healthy Habits

    Build resiliency and protect your mental health. It could be as easy as journaling daily and getting sunshine.

In Arizona

  • Suicide rate

    The 2021 Arizona suicide rate was 35% above the national rate of suicide that year.
  • A leading cause of death

    Suicide currently ranks 10th among the leading causes of death. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Arizonans ages 10-34.
  • Lives lost

    More than 1,500 Arizonans died by suicide in 2021, and 81% of them were male.

Did you know?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
  • More than 48,000 people died by suicide in the United States in 2021. That is 1 death every 11 minutes.
  • 12.3 million adults seriously thought about suicide, and 1.7 million adults attempted suicide.
  • Suicide was the second most common cause of death among people between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34, and the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35-44.
  • More than twice the number of Americans died by suicide than by homicide.
  • No one takes their life for a single reason. Life stresses combined with known risk factors, such as childhood trauma, substance use — or even chronic physical pain — can contribute to someone taking their life.
  • 90% of people who die by suicide have an underlying — and potentially treatable — mental health condition.