Suicide is a difficult topic to talk about, but the fact remains that the numbers have been increasing nationwide over the past decade. Add to that this past yearâs pandemic challenges â isolation, loneliness and issues with politics and social media â and we are seeing many people struggling at higher levels. Suicides, usually fueled by underlying mental illness, are especially worrisome for the groups that are seeing the largest increases: adolescents and college students, veterans and older adults, as well as those in the highest-risk populations. Before the pandemic, more than 40,000 Americans died by suicide every year, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the nation.