Why has the suicide rate been increasing in the past few decades?
Suicide rates in Washington and across the USA have actually gone down since 1990. When the Youth Suicide Prevention Program began in 1995 the number of suicides and the rate were both higher than they are now. There was a significant increase in the late 70’s and early 80’s but the trend lately has been downward. It may seem that there is an increase because you are reading and hearing more about suicide. Media reports hopefully are educating about the warning signs and the resources for help.
