The suicide rate among females in the United States is highest for those aged 45 to 64 years and lowest among girls aged 10 to 14 and elderly women 75 and over. Although the suicide rate among women remains over three times lower than that of men, rates of suicide among women have gradually increased over the past couple decades. Suicide among women in the United States In 2021, there were around six suicide deaths per 100,000 women in the United States. In comparison, the rate of suicide among women in the year 2000 was about four per 100,000. Suicide rates among women are by far the highest among American Indians or Alaska Natives and lowest among Hispanic and Black or African American women. Although firearms are involved in the highest share of suicide deaths among both men and women, they account for a much smaller share among women. In 2020, the firearm suicide rate among women was 1.8 per 100,000 population, while the rates of suicide for suffocation and poisoning were 1.7 and 1.5 per 100,000, respectively. Suicidal ideation among women Although not everyone who experiences suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, will attempt suicide, suicidal thoughts are a risk factor for suicide. In 2022, just over five percent of women in the United States reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Suicidal thoughts are more common among women than men even though men have much higher rates of death from suicide than women. This is because men are more likely to use more lethal methods of suicide such as firearms. Women who suffer from substance use disorder are significantly more likely to have serious thoughts of suicide than women without substance use disorder.

In 2023, the 50 to 59-year age group had the highest suicide rate in Japan, with 23.4 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Middle-aged men are frequently portrayed as the highest-risk group for suicide in Japan. On the other hand, suicides among the elderly and schoolchildren are also recurrently picked up by the media. Japan's recent suicide rates Japan’s suicide numbers peaked in 2009 when the country experienced its worst recession since World War II. That same year, the suicide rate surged to 25.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants and almost 33 thousand victims in total. While the country's suicide rate has shown a steady downward trend in the most recent decade, 2020 marked the first time within the past decade that suicide numbers were rising again. The COVID-19 pandemic likely caused this upward trend.From a gender perspective, Japanese men are more likely to commit suicide than women. In 2023, 24.6 deaths per 100,000 male inhabitants were reported, compared to a female suicide rate of 10.9 in the same year.  What are the reasons behind Japan’s high suicide rates?  Many factors are being blamed for the Japan's high suicide rates, including financial anxiety, bullying, isolation, and a lack of a proficient mental healthcare system. Historically, the country's high suicide rates have been closely linked to the economic situation of the individuals. Existential worries and problems directly related to work have been one of the main reasons for self-inflicted deaths in the past years.In the past 10 years, one of the most profound issues faced by employees in Japan leading to self-harm was exhaustion. An increasing pressure of retaining jobs by putting in more hours of overtime, while taking fewer holidays and sick days, are considered the main motivators behind the rising suicide numbers among office workers and employees. Occupational sudden mortality, known as karoshi (“death by overwork”) is a well-known phenomenon in Japanese society. Besides physical pressure, mental stress from the workplace can cause karoshi. Suicide due to occupational stress or overwork is called karojisatsu (“overwork suicide”) in Japan.

The countries with the highest suicide mortality rate worldwide in 2019 included Lesotho, Guyana, and Eswatini. Suicide rates of men are much higher than among women in many countries. Lithuania has one of the highest suicide rates for men as of 2019, while South Korea reports the highest suicide rate for women.

In the United States

Although the United States is not among the countries with the highest suicide mortality rate, suicide is still one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. As with other countries, the suicide rate among males in the U.S. is much higher than among females. The age group with the highest rate of suicide is those aged 45 to 64 years, followed by 25 to 44-year-olds. The states with the highest suicide rates are Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana.

Risk factors and help

Major risk factors for suicide include mental health issues and substance abuse problems; however, it can be difficult to predict who is at risk. Warning signs such as talking about wanting to die, expressing feelings of depression, suicidal ideation, and abusing drugs or alcohol should be taken seriously and help should be sought as soon as possible. Suicide hotlines exist in many countries around the world and one should not hesitate to discuss such issues and feelings with a health care provider.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

A survey of U.S. adults fielded from April 30 to May 27, 2024, found that some 14 percent of respondents reported symptoms of depressive disorder in the last two weeks. This survey has been running since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and found an increased share of people reporting symptoms of depression during the first year of the pandemic. Symptoms of depression can include, but are not limited to, feelings of sadness and hopelessness, a loss of interest in things once found pleasurable, sleep disturbances, anxiety, tiredness, and a change in appetite.

Differences in depression among men and women Although rates of suicide are much higher among men than women in the United States, women are more likely to suffer from depression than men. Surveys from 2020 to 2023, found that women constantly reported symptoms of depressive disorder more often than men, although the difference varied from a few percentage points to decimal points. However, in 2021, around 10 percent of women reported having a major depressive episode in the past year, compared to six percent of men. Major depressive episodes are most common among women aged 18 to 25 years.

How many people receive treatment for depression? In 2021, it was estimated that around 11.5 million people in the United States with a major depressive episode received treatment. The most common professionals seen for a major depressive episode were general practitioners or family doctors, psychiatrists or psychotherapists, and counselors. However, many people with depression and other mental health problems do not receive treatment for various reasons. In 2021, cost was the number one reason U.S. adults stated they did not receive the mental health treatment they needed.