New Study Reveals Increase In Youth Suicide Rates

A new study from the OU School of Medicine in Tulsa shows an increase in youth suicide.

An ER resident at OU did the study after seeing firsthand some of the cases. The study looked at data from 2013 to 2020 in the U.S. young adult population.

That's people ages 10 to 24. It found that nearly three million years of life had been lost to suicide during that time.

The data showed firearm-related suicide represented more than a third of those.

Dr. Stephanie Garcia says checking in with young people is one way to hopefully turn around those statistics.

"Coming from a background of low-income and now with my training; seeing death by suicide is not something we’re strangers to. And how can I as a resident surgeon, and as a person of this community, help,” Dr. Garcia said.

Terry Viner is an outspoken advocate for suicide prevention.

His son, Dalton Viner, was a standout baseball draft prospect and died by suicide in 2016.

He says even helping one person at a time begins with realizing mental health affects anyone.

“So you think, looking at this young man, ‘Hey, this guy had everything going for him.’ but, in 2015, started having some mental health issues, Viner said. "We tried different avenues of getting him help. And tragically May 20th of 2016 is when we lost him to suicide."

Viner started a foundation in memory of his son.

Anyone who is struggling with their mental health can call the national lifeline, 988.