4 people die by suicide in NC every day. Here are 3 communities at high risk.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Black youths, LGBTQ+ youths and veterans show highest NC suicide risk trends
- Suicide ranks as a leading cause of death among NC teens and young adults
- State agencies launch initiatives targeting youth suicide prevention statewide
As North Carolina looks to prevent suicide and suicide attempts, officials are paying special attention to several high-risk groups.
Black youths, veterans and LGBTQ+ youths in North Carolina have disproportionately high rates of suicidality, according to the state’s 2026-30 Suicide Prevention Action Plan, which published last month.
That data showed:
- 18% of high school students in North Carolina surveyed in 2023 reported considering suicide, 16% planned their suicide and 10% attempted suicide.
- 37% of gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students in North Carolina surveyed in 2023 reported considering suicide, 29% planned their suicide and 20% attempted suicide.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 19-34 and the third leading cause of death for youths ages 10-18 in North Carolina.
- The average suicide rate for military veterans in North Carolina from 2018 to 2022 was 2.7 times higher than in non-veterans.
All told, suicide rates are highest among the elderly in North Carolina.
There were 24.4 deaths by suicide per 100,000 people over age 84 and 19.7 deaths by suicide per 100,000 people ages 75-84 from 2019 to 2023, according to state data.
Black youths and suicidal behavior
While the plan didn’t report specific data for Black youths, it said “the proportion of Black, Hispanic, and youth who identify as a person of color (POC) who report suicidal behavior has been increasing.”
Kelly Crosbie, director of the state’s Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, told The News & Observer that Black youths are three times more likely than white youths to die by suicide.
“We see rates anywhere from 1 in 4 Black students to almost 40% of Black students [who] have considered suicide, and 20% [who] have made an attempt,” Crosbie said.
Sonyia Richardson, an assistant professor at the UNC School of Social Work, said that number has been increasing over the past decade. That includes in Durham and Wake counties, which are among the counties in the state with the most suicide attempts and suicides in that population, she said.
In general, mistrust of the medical system, racism, community stigma and more adverse childhood experiences put Black residents at higher risk for suicidal thoughts, according to Crosbie.
LGBTQ+ youths and veterans
Similarly, LGBTQ+ youth are more at risk than their straight and cisgender peers.
“These are really alarming data; I want to say that,” Crosbie said. “Forty-six percent of youth who identify as LGBTQ reported they seriously considered suicide in the last year.”
Rejection, isolation, discrimination and mistrust of the health-care system can all contribute, she said.
Veterans are more at risk because of higher rates of mental health concerns, including PTSD; potential stigma against reaching out for help in a masculine military culture; and easier access to firearms, according to Crosbie.
Overall, four people die by suicide very day in North Carolina, she said.
“That’s just overwhelming,” Crosbie said.
New initiatives seek to turn tide
State health officials and researchers are hoping new and existing resources like state hotlines can turn the tide against suicide in North Carolina.
One such initiative is a partnership among the Department of Health and Human Services, UNC’s Suicide Prevention Institute, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and Village of Care. The collaboration will result in a strategic plan to prevent suicide in Black youths, according to a news release from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, Richardson said, UNC has several projects with the Department of Health and Human Services, including:
A youth advisory board of at least eight people ages 18-24. It receives training from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and will help share suicide prevention materials with young people around the state.
A community of practice and education committee involving 139 people across the state. It meets monthly to strategize on ways to decrease youth suicide rates in North Carolina.
Training for barbers and hairstylists on how to talk about suicide prevention with their clients.
“These are everyday community members who are dedicated to saving lives and doing whatever is necessary to make sure they’re equipped with the tools so that they can be part of helping us to make it safer for all youth in our state to live and thrive,” Richardson said.
