New federal data indicates a decline in suicidal thoughts and behaviours among US teenagers, but specialists caution that the risk remains high and the trend may be temporary, highlighting the need for sustained mental health support.
New federal data suggest that fewer U.S. adolescents are reporting suicidal thoughts and behaviours, but specialists say the danger remains real and the decline is too early to read as a lasting turnaround.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said its 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that among 12- to 17-year-olds, the share reporting serious thoughts of suicide fell to 10.3% from 12.9% in 2021. The share making a suicide plan dropped to 5.1% from 6.2%, and the share reporting a suicide attempt fell to 2.9% from 3.6%. SAMHSA said the results point to improvement, but also to the need for continued prevention and mental health support.
Rebecca J. Shields, a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist at SUNY Upstate Medical University, said it is not yet clear whether the figures reflect a sustained shift or a temporary fluctuation. She noted that suicide among people aged 10 to 24 rose by more than 60% between 2007 and 2021, and said 2021 was a particularly difficult year because of the delayed mental health effects of the Covid pandemic. Shields also cautioned that optional non-response in the survey may mean the true rate is higher than reported.
Shields said it matters to separate thoughts, plans and attempts because each marks a different level of risk. Clinicians and families, she said, need to ask not only whether a young person is thinking about suicide, but also whether they have a plan, intent or a history of attempts. She said her own experience still shows high numbers of suicidal adolescents and young adults in emergency departments, outpatient clinics and hospitals, and pointed to the 2023 Youth Risk Behaviour Survey, which found nearly 40% of high school students were persistently sad or hopeless and nearly 10% had attempted suicide in the previous year.
Shields said several factors may be affecting trends, including shifts in smartphone and social media use, stronger school-based mental health support and more emotional learning programmes in schools. She also argued for more recovery-focused services for high-risk patients, alongside wider efforts to limit smartphone use in younger children and teenagers. At the same time, she stressed that social media can also be a source of support for some young people, underscoring that the picture is complicated even when the numbers move in the right direction.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
