Myth: Suicide Statistics Are Accurate

Suicide myths aren’t completely accurate, but they are likely representative. The impossibility of knowing the intent in someone’s head before death leads to various indirect methods of determination that aren’t perfect.

Fact: Suicide Statistics Are Compiled from People with Different Beliefs

Further complicating the determination of intent is that many deaths are certified by elected coroners who may – or may not – have medical or suicide-specific training. Even trained medical examiners are more focused on the biological and traumatic drivers of the cessation of life rather than the intent. Psychological autopsies were developed to help coroners make better decisions, but their retrospective analysis means we can expect errors and bias to enter the picture.

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Some coroners won’t certify a death as a suicide without a note. However, few suicides have notes. (See Myth: Most People Who Die by Suicide Leave a Note.) Others refuse to certify the death of a child as a suicide because of their beliefs. (See Myth: Children Don’t Die by Suicide.)

Evidence

The evidence is strong that even well researched and thoughtfully considered lists of warning signs are not effective at identifying those who will attempt suicide at an individual level. If you have any sense that someone you care about may be considering suicide, the best advice is to ask them directly. Asking about suicidal ideation will not plant the idea.