Young women are killing themselves by hanging

ATLANTA (Christian Examiner) – Suicide rates have jumped from 2007 – 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with a dramatic increase in hangings that has stumped researchers.

The substantial rise in hangings was particularly acute among young women, ages 10-24 years old, and because lethality is so high with this suffocation method, more deaths resulted from suicide attempts.

Overall, suicide among this age group increased by an annual change of 2.4 percent for males and 6.9 percent for females from 2007-2012, or a total change of 12.0 percent and 34.5, respectively.

But, even with the substantial differences in rates of suicide growth, overall, men consistently have committed suicide almost four times as often as women (11.9 suicides per 100,000 men compared to 3.2 suicides per 100,000 women in 2012).

Among men, both firearm and hanging suicides account for the increase.

Women have seen a slight increase in suicide by firearms, but most of the change among them is due to hangings.

During 2012, 17 percent of high school students seriously considered suicide, and, 8 percent made one or more suicide attempts, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds.

The CDC encourages aggressive intervention among at-risk youth, including enhanced social support (relationship building) and problem-solving training (dealing with challenges) as protective measures.