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You matter.
You are valuable.

Suicidal thoughts are more common than most students realize — and they are survivable. Here is what the numbers say, and what to do next.

The first step is reaching out. You're doing it right now.
A real person is ready to listen.
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The Current Picture

You are not the only one feeling this way — not by a long shot. These numbers represent real people, and every one of them matters.

2nd
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10–34 in the U.S.
CDC WISQARS, 2023 · Leading Causes of Death
In one year
14.3M
U.S. adults 18+ had serious thoughts of suicide
In one year
4.6M
made a suicide plan
In one year
2.2M
made an attempt
Worldwide
720,000
deaths by suicide each year — one person every 44 seconds
Past 20 years
+30%
rise in the U.S. suicide rate — about 49,000 deaths a year

Suicide Deaths per 100,000 People, By Age

Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women.

10–1415–2425–4445–6465–7475+
These numbers can feel heavy. You don't have to sit with them alone.
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Chat with a Hope Coach
Your thoughts and your feelings are lying to you. It is a lie that the world would be a better place without you.

What to Do Right Now

Five small, real steps. You don't have to do them all at once — start with the first one.

1
Reach out for help.
Tell one person you trust how you are really feeling — a friend, a family member, a counselor. They may not have perfect words. It doesn't mean they don't care. It is okay to talk about how you feel.
2
Make a plan of safety.
Write down your warning signs, your distractions, the people you'll call, and the one thing most worth living for. Keep it where you can find it in a hard moment.
3
Remove what could harm you.
Clear your space of anything you could use to hurt yourself, including alcohol and drugs. Ask someone you trust to help, or leave for somewhere safer. Time is your friend — with time, thinking clears.
4
Name the lie.
The belief that suicide solves everything says there is no other way out. There is. Help exists even when it can't fix everything today.
5
Change the channel.
Go for a walk. Take a hot shower. Put on music. Sit with a friend. Anything that distracts long enough for clearer thinking to return.
Fill this in today
Your Safety Plan
1.

The warning signs that a crisis is building.

2.

What gets my mind off these thoughts.

3.

Places that distract me in a good way.

4.

Two or three people I will ask for help, and how to reach them.

5.

Professionals or agencies I can contact.

6.

How I will make my space safe.

7.

The one thing most important to me and worth living for.

You don't have to carry this by yourself.

Reach out to a licensed counselor, your campus health center, or your doctor — and if you need someone this minute, a Hope Coach is available to chat right now.

FreeConfidential24/7
In crisis right now? Hope Coaches are standing by to chat with you.
Want to talk out loud instead? Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
Chat with a Hope Coach

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