A Yellow Ribbon on a White Surface

suicide Statistics 2022

27/9/23 saw the ABS release some (although yet to be finalised) data on ‘Causes of Death” in
Australia 2022.

Before I continue I want to state 2 cautions:

  • This data surrounding suicide, along with the years 2020 and 2021, are yet to be finalised and should be applied with caution
  • I will be discussing suicide, for the purpose of ‘data’ and statistics however feel the need to
    vocalise a warning regarding the topic.

For further information please visit the Bureau of Statistics –
Causes of Death, Australia, 2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)

The following is taken directly from the above link:

In 2022:

  • There were 3,249 deaths due to suicide (2,455 males and 794 females). This compares to 3,166 suicides in 2021 (2,375 males and 791 females).
  • The age-standardised suicide rate was 12.3 deaths per 100,000 people, which was a slight increase from 2021 (12.1).
  • The age-standardised suicide rate increased by 2.7% for males from 2021, while the rate for females decreased by 3.3%.
  • The median age at death for people who died by suicide was 45.6 (46.0 for males and 44.1 for females).
  • Suicide remained the 15th leading cause of death.
  • Almost 85.8% of people who died by suicide had risk factors identified.
  • The most commonly recorded suicide risk factors included mood affective disorders (F30-F39), suicide ideation (R458), problems with spousal relationships (Z630, Z635) and personal history of self-harm (Z915).
  • For more information see Intentional self-harm deaths (Suicide) in Australia.

The numbers clearly speak for themselves but let’s touch on some of the information. 83 more
suicides than 2021. Unfortunately, this means the current push to prevent this loss and create a
more supportive environment is currently not working. Not suggesting for a moment my recent Not
For Profit, We All Have Wings Inc, is going to change this but that is the hope.
But what can we all do? How can we take blue trees and RUOK days to the next level?
The average age for suicide is approx. 45 years old. There are various factors that can play a part in
this stage of life.
How can we approach and deal with these stressors and triggers more efficiently?

We have family, finances, work and I guess the vision of where someone thought they would be
compared to where they actually are. We also need to acknowledges the fact that men are over 3
times more likely to lose their lives to suicide than women.

The final point from the link is probably the most integral to take away, recognising and noticing the warning signs. Over 85% of those lost displayed risk factors. If you notice these symptoms in
someone you know, family, friend or work, would you know how to help?

Ask the question! If they are considering suicide, DON’T LEAVE THEM ALONE!

Help them connect to someone they can talk to (GP, therapist, etc) as well as a family member.

Finally keep in contact, the assistance offered may have saved a life, but now they need to know
they have support.

Let’s all work together on this one.

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