Teen Suicide Attempts Surged During Lockdowns, CDC Study Shows

Emergency-room visits for suspected suicide attempts by teenagers, especially girls, rose sharply during pandemic lockdowns, according to new data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC study found that suspected suicide attempts in the 12-17 age group declined in the early days of social distancing, but then rose among both girls and boys in the summer of 2020. In the subsequent winter, suspected attempts by female teens surged to 51% higher than the equivalent period of 2019, while among males the rate fell back.