Suicides in San Diego County rose by four in 2023, a 1% increase from the previous year, according to data released Monday by the county’s Suicide Prevention Council.
The 363 deaths reported reflect a 6% increase since 2021, though suicides have decreased 12% since 2019’s total of 416. The council also shared a plan to prevent suicides.
Attempted suicides were not included in the report. Data is difficult to collect, the county said, so statistics are usually delayed by some time. The 2023 data is not yet available, but there were 3,789 incidents of nonfatal suicide attempts or intentional self-harm in 2022.
When broken down demographically, death by suicide was highest in older white men or those living in East County — despite that geographic region actually experiencing a decrease in overall numbers. Firearms accounted for more than half of all deaths by suicide for men 65 and older and were the most common method for men.
“We want everyone in San Diego County to know that you, personally, have the power to start a conversation about suicide and even help to prevent one,” said San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “Guns are the most-reported form of suicide in our region, so the Board of Supervisors will continue to pursue common-sense regulations like safe gun storage, so firearms are secured and less likely to fall into the wrong hands.”
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 20-29 and the third for ages 30-39, the report found. Asphyxia and intentional drug overdoses were the second and third most common methods.
The report showed a 56% increase in suicides among people ages 10-24 from 2022 to 2023.
In November 2024, the county began sending Mobile Crisis Response Teams to schools through the Helping, Engaging, Reconnecting, and Educating Now program, which has helped over 3,800 students with suicide risk assessments and interventions.
The report and action plan offer detailed steps to prevent people from taking their lives. Some of the plans include removing stigma for mental illness through media campaigns, looking at root causes overall but especially among underserved and at-risk populations, providing opportunities for people to learn social-emotional skills promoting self-care, clinical assessments and focusing on limiting access to specific methods of suicide.
The council also offers free suicide prevention trainings. Learn more at www.SPCSanDiego.org.
If you or a loved one are in need of support, please call seven days a week/24 hours a day the Access & Crisis Line at 888-724-7240. You don’t need to be in crisis to call. You can also request a Mobile Crisis Response Team at this phone number.
Counselors offer support and resources if you are in crisis, just need to talk or have questions on how to offer support to someone else. Both lines are free, confidential and available in over 200 languages. You can also call the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
City News Service contributed to this article.
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