It is a question that starts to trend the moment the map turns red or blue. You’ve likely seen the posts on social media—frantic warnings or grim claims about a "spike" in tragedies following the most recent trip to the ballot box. But when we strip away the noise and the viral threads, what do the hard numbers actually tell us?
Honestly, the reality is a bit more nuanced than a single headline can capture.
If we look at the timeline of the 2024 election and the subsequent months into early 2026, the data provides a picture that is both sobering and, in some ways, unexpected. According to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. suicide rate actually saw a slight dip in 2024. Roughly 48,800 deaths were reported that year, which is about 500 fewer than the previous year.
That might feel counterintuitive. We live in a time where 77% of adults tell the American Psychological Association (APA) that the "future of the nation" is their top stressor. Yet, the national rate fell to 13.7 per 100,000 people.
How Many Suicides Since Election Cycles Began?
To understand how many suicides since election day have occurred, we have to look at how the "post-election" period is recorded. Public health data isn't instant. It’s a slow-moving machine. We are currently looking at "provisional" figures for the end of 2024 and the start of 2025.
Historically, there is a fascinating theory in sociology called "social integration." Some researchers, like those published in The Politics of Hope and Despair, argue that major national events—even divisive ones—can sometimes create a temporary sense of shared experience that lowers immediate suicide rates. It's like the whole country is holding its breath together.
The Breakdown by Demographic
While the overall number dropped slightly, it wasn't a universal win.
- Young Adults: There was a notable decline in rates for people in their late 20s and early 30s.
- LGBTQ+ Youth: This group remains at much higher risk. The Trevor Project’s 2024 survey highlighted that 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year.
- Geographic Splits: Rates fell in parts of the South and Midwest but remained stubbornly high in the Mountain West.
Why the Numbers Don't Always Match the "Vibe"
If you feel like everyone is struggling, you aren't wrong.
Politics is basically a massive stress test for the American psyche. Charlie Health reported in early 2025 that 75% of their clients felt the political climate was actively harming their mental health.
But there’s a big gap between "suicidal ideation" (thinking about it) and "suicide mortality" (the act itself). Roughly 12.8 million Americans seriously thought about suicide in the last year, but the vast majority did not act on those thoughts.
Katherine Keyes, a public health professor at Columbia University, notes that we shouldn't necessarily call this slight dip a "trend" yet. It might just be a "blip on the radar."
The Factors Keeping the Numbers High
We can't talk about these stats without talking about the "how."
Guns.
Roughly 55% of all suicide deaths in the U.S. involve firearms. It is the most lethal method, and it’s why many experts focus on "lethal means safety"—basically putting time and space between a person in crisis and a gun.
There’s also the issue of "deaths of despair." This term, coined by economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton, links suicide to a lack of economic opportunity and a breakdown in community. When an election happens, it often highlights these exact fractures.
What about the "988" Effect?
One reason we might be seeing a slight stabilization is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s been active for over three years now. It works. It gives people a three-digit number to call instead of a ten-digit one they'll never remember in a panic.
The Risk of Political "Doomerism"
There is a specific kind of exhaustion that hits after an election.
Experts call it "perseverative cognition." It’s when your brain gets stuck in a loop of worry about things you can't control—like Cabinet appointments or Supreme Court rulings.
For marginalized groups, this isn't just "politics." It’s personal. When the Trump administration moved to eliminate certain LGBTQ+ specific crisis supports in 2025, advocates grew worried. If you remove the specialized help, you might see the numbers for those specific groups climb, even if the "national average" looks fine.
📖 Related: Michigan Advance Medical Directive Form: Why You Probably Haven't Finished Yours
Practical Steps for the Post-Election Slump
If you’re looking at these statistics because you’re feeling the weight of the world, here is the actual, non-corporate advice on how to navigate it:
1. Mute the Noise
Your nervous system wasn't built to handle 24/7 updates on global catastrophe. If a specific "news" account makes your heart race, unfollow it. You aren't "staying informed" if you're too anxious to function.
2. Focus on Local Agency
hopelessness usually stems from a lack of control. You can’t fix D.C. from your couch. But you can volunteer at a local food bank or help a neighbor. Action is the antidote to despair.
3. Recognize the "Urgency Illusion"
Political pundits get paid to make everything feel like an immediate 10/10 emergency. Most things are a 3/10. Give yourself permission to wait and see how things actually play out before you spiral.
4. Use the Resources
If things feel dark, don't wait for a "sign."
- Call or Text 988: (English and Spanish).
- The Trevor Project: Text 'START' to 678-678.
- Crisis Text Line: Text 'HOME' to 741741.
The data shows that while the political climate is heavy, we are making small, incremental progress in keeping each other alive. The numbers are people. And every 0.1% drop in the rate represents thousands of families who didn't have to say goodbye this year.
✨ Don't miss: What Foods Are High In Complex Carbs (And Why You’re Likely Eating the Wrong Ones)
Next Steps for You:
Check in on one friend today who you know "follows the news" too closely. Don't talk about politics. Just ask them how their week is going. It sounds small, but social connection is the strongest protective factor we have against the statistics.
Sources:
- CDC Provisional Mortality Data, December 2025
- American Psychological Association (APA), "Stress in America 2024"
- The Trevor Project, 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health
- Associated Press, "CDC says US Suicide rate fell in 2024"