Colorado Suicides Dropped 40% During Quarantine

During the thick of quarantine through March and April, Colorado suicide rates dropped by 40%, as reported by the Denver Post. Actual suicides are down from 2019 levels, too.

However, in contrast, the Colorado Crisis Services saw an almost 48% increase in March and April phone calls compared to last year, as Coloradans called for help with depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

Although suicide rates have steadily been on the rise in recent years, in March and April there were 139 deaths compared to the 233 from the same period last year. This is surprising, considering that the months of early spring included the most intense period of COVID-19 infection and quarantine in Colorado.

According to the Denver Post, experts have expressed the possibility that camaraderie from the pandemic left people feeling supported. But now that COVID-19 has been normalized, they stress that the adrenaline from the initial infections will fade and a spike in suicides should be expected.

“Some people are not getting their mental health needs met right now, partly because of fear,” said Travis Atkinson, a crisis systems consultant with TBD Solutions.