Suicide thoughts adults by depressive episode U.S. 2021

In 2021, around 32 percent of adults in the United States with a major depressive episode had serious thoughts of suicide within the preceding year. This statistic shows suicide thoughts, plans and attempts among U.S. adults as of 2021, broken down by major depressive episode.

Suicide thoughts, plans and attempts among U.S. adults as of 2021, by major depressive episode*

Characteristic	Major depressive episode	No major depressive episode
Had serious thoughts of suicide	31.8%	2.4%
Made any suicide plans	11.2%	0.5%
Attempted suicide	5.4%	0.3%

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Release date

January 2023

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

2021

Number of respondents

base: around 70,000

Age group

18 years and older

Method of interview

Questionnaire

Supplementary notes

* Suicide thoughts, plans and attempt in the past year. serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Major Depressive Episode (MDE) is defined as in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), which specifies a period of at least 2 weeks when a person experienced a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities and had a majority of specified depression symptoms. Respondents with unknown past year MDE data were excluded.

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