CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control found some alarming news about suicides.
In 2017, it was the second leading cause of death among young Americans.
"Almost every day, I see somebody coming in asking for help,” said Dr. Kim Onufrak, community health physician for the Corpus Christi Nueces County Public Health District. “They will have severe thoughts, they don't want to do it, they just want to reach out."
Onufrak frequently deals with patients with suicidal tendencies.
The CDC reviewed the causes of death for people between the ages of 10 to 24 from 2007 to 2017.
It found suicide rates have increased by 56 percent and suicide is more prevalent than homicide rates.
In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death between people ages 10-24, second behind unintentional injuries like drug overdoses or car wrecks.
Suicidal thoughts can stem from a household of violence, a family history of mental health issues, and social media.
"A lot of times, folks are very comfortable in saying things on social media or the internet without having to feel or recognize or empathize with the person or the other end,” Del Mar College counselor Rita Hernandez said.
Though there are differences in every generation, professionals have found that the symptoms and warnings are usually the same.
"Has there been an attitude change? did they go from being a social, outgoing person to all of a sudden being private, going home and hiding in their room?,” Onufrak said.
The best way to prevent these numbers from increasing, is to address what the person is feeling and why.
If you need help, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
