Why Suicides Have Decreased During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As unsettling as the COVID-19 pandemic has been for so many, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC say suicides in the United States actually went down nearly 6 percent last year.

The decline to fewer than 45,000 suicides is the largest annual drop in at least 4 decades, although experts say the number will likely change as some death certificates havent been fully processed yet.

According to statistics recently published by the American Medical Association, overall U.S. deaths increased 17 percent in 2020 with COVID-19 being the third-leading cause behind heart disease and cancer.

But the downward trend in suicides is still surprising, given that Americans have reported increased depression, anxiety, and substance use during the pandemic. Gun sales have also gone up dramatically.

Although experts say the data is preliminary and can change, they also point to Americans ability to come together and support one another during a crisis.

Its hard to determine exactly why suicide death decrease during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have seen this in other instances like the Spanish flu pandemic during the early 1900s, Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, told Healthline.

One explanation is that during times of national or community level crisis natural disasters, war, other crises there is a known population level response that undergoes phases of change in the psychological response, she explained.

Community cohesion and sense of belonging is a very potent protective factor against suicide risk, along with other experiences like connecting to support and mental health service, she said.

People have been more open about their feelings during the pandemic, generating more empathy and relatability from others, according to Cecily Sakai, a Honolulu-based psychologist.

This is especially true for people who never experienced depression before, she noted.

It may be more acceptable and accessible to receive mental health treatment since the pandemic. With greater awareness about mind-body health and the effects of COVID-19 on a persons physical health as well as mental health, more people may be seeking out therapy, Sakai told Healthline.

Rates of suicide may be impacted by individuals receiving treatment. With more people being home and telehealth visits with therapists being more accessible, people may be better able to access and take advantage of mental health services than in the past, she said.