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(Des Moines, IA) -- Today is National Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in Iowa, above the national average.
"There is still this stigma, especially in the male arena, that mental health is not something you talk about. Farmers are at higher rates of suicide as well, and it's a male-dominated field," said Amara Huffine, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Iowa Chapter.
In Iowa, the suicide rate is decreasing, but men are still 3.8 times as likely to die by suicide compared to women. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, white men accounted for 68.13% of suicide deaths in 2023.
503 deaths by suicide were reported in Iowa in 2023. Huffine says that the number could be larger, though, due to HIPAA guidelines preventing counties from reporting deaths by suicide if the number is less than three. The number of calls to the suicide hotline 988 has increased over the years. Huffine says that could be due to the word being spread about the resource and more people being aware of the services.
While overall suicide rates are decreasing, teen suicide rates are increasing in Iowa.
"We are seeing that youth rate increase a little bit. I really want to stress that suicide is complex, so I cannot say that one reason, like social media, is the reason that that's happening. It certainly is probably playing a factor. You know, there are a lot of suicide risk factors," said Huffine.
Huffine says that there are many risk factors for suicide, including family history, past trauma, and mental health, but that social media can also play a factor.
During National Suicide Prevention Day, organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are trying to bring awareness to prevention methods. Huffine says one of the more important ways to prevent suicide is to talk to people who may be struggling.
"The most important thing that's a protective factor from suicide risk is having that resiliency and those coping mechanisms... know how to have a safe conversation and be aware if you feel like someone is talking about suicide," said Huffine.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is hosting walks throughout the month of September to bring awareness to suicide prevention. The Central Iowa Out of the Darkness Community Walk will be held Sunday, September 21st at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny.