Suicide has surpassed car accidents as the top cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S. according to a report released by the American Journal of Public Health.
The troubling report was published in the newest issue of the American Journal of Public Health, but many believe that the number may even be higher than the report stated.
"Suicides are terribly under counted. I think the problem is much worse than official data would lead us to believe," said study author Ian Rockett, an epidemiology professor at West Virginia University in a press release.
From 2000 to 2009, the total death rate for suicide was up 15 percent, meanwhile the death rate for auto accidents decreased 25 percent the study showed. Traffic safety improvements and stricter driving penalties could be the reason for the decline in auto accident deaths.
Rocket believes though that as many as 20 percent of suicides may be hidden, and that some "accidental" deaths like drug overdoses could actually be suicides.
"While I am going well beyond our data, my speculation is that the immediate driving force is prescription opioid overdoses," said Rockett. "There is much to be done in terms of both research and prevention."
Experts believe that more needs to be done about the ever rising suicide rate similar to the effort the nation has put into cutting back deaths due to automobile accidents. This problem can't be solved with more road signs and lights however, but by perhaps addressing the issue more in schools and work environments could be a step in the right direction. Showing kids that there are other ways to dealing with their issues could be one option, or having mandatory lectures for kids and adults alike. A lot of people feel embarrassed to seek help for problems they are going through or may not understand why they feel the way they do.
Death by unintentional poisoning, which also includes drug overdoses, came in third. Unintentional falls and homicide were the fourth and fifth top causes of injury death in the study as well.
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