The share of U.S. high school students who seriously considered attempting suicide fell from 20% in 2023 to 14% in 2025, according to national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data released by the CDC on Monday. It was one of five mental health and suicide-risk measures that improved over two years, a notable shift after teen distress peaked in 2021.
For parents, the gain is real but incomplete. Fourteen percent still means roughly one in seven high school students, or about four students in a typical class of 30, seriously thought about suicide in the past year. The improvement is a reason for cautious hope, not a signal that families or schools can step back.
If you or a teen you know is struggling, call or text 988 or chat through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is free and available 24 hours a day.
Five Warning Indicators Moved in the Right Direction
The new report, Youth Health in Focus, covers survey years 2023 to 2025 and 10-year trends from 2015. Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness fell from 40% to 33%, and poor mental health dropped from 29% to 23%. The share of students who made a suicide plan fell from 16% to 12%, and suicide attempts declined from 9% to 6%, according to the CDC's mental health trend data.
The 10-year view adds context. Students who seriously considered suicide stood at 18% in 2015, rose to a peak of 22% in 2021, and fell to 14% in 2025, yet the CDC classifies the 10-year trend for that measure as unchanged. Persistent sadness remains worse than in 2015, when it stood at 30%. The share of students injured in a suicide attempt that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse did improve over the decade.
"These are meaningful improvements, and they show that progress is possible when schools, families, and communities work together to support young people," said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the CDC's deputy director and chief medical officer. "At the same time, too many students are still struggling with daily health behaviors that can negatively affect their long-term health."
Girls and Ninth Graders Still Carry a Heavier Burden
The improvements were not evenly shared. In 2025, 43% of female students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness, compared with 24% of male students. Female students were more likely than male students to report all six mental health and suicide-risk indicators the CDC tracked, including seriously considering suicide (18% versus 11%). Ninth graders were more likely than 12th graders to make a suicide plan, and more likely than 11th and 12th graders to attempt suicide.
Daily habits that affect mood showed little progress. Only 24% of students got at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night, and 36% used social media every hour or more. Among students who drove in the past month, 46% texted or emailed while driving. Fewer students attended physical education daily, although more played on a sports team.
Local efforts offer examples of what schools are trying. During the 2024 to 2025 school year, the Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas expanded its work with the nonprofit health system Texas Community Hope to set up five regional school-based behavioral health centers. The centers made more than 4,000 referrals for mental health services and provided therapy to more than 1,700 middle and high school students through 30 local providers, according to the CDC.
What the Survey Cannot Explain
The YRBS is a nationally representative survey of high school students conducted every two years, and it relies on what students report about themselves. The report highlights select statistically significant differences, but it does not establish what caused the improvement. School programs like Fort Worth's are presented as examples, not proof of cause.
That limitation matters for families. Changes in school support, social life after the pandemic, access to care, or other factors could all play a role, and the survey was not designed to separate them. Further analysis, including state and district results, will be needed to test which explanations hold up. Suicide deaths are tracked separately through death records, so these results describe thoughts and behaviors rather than deaths. More detail is available in the CDC's technical notes and data tables.
Conversations and Care Families Can Start Now
The CDC encourages parents to talk with teens about mental health often, spend time on shared activities that build connection, and provide age-appropriate supervision. Parents are also urged to care for their own mental health and to seek help for themselves or their teen when needed.
Warning signs that deserve prompt attention include talking about wanting to die or being a burden, pulling away from friends and activities, major changes in sleep or eating, giving away belongings, and sudden calm after a period of deep distress. Parents do not need to wait for a crisis to ask a teen directly whether they are thinking about suicide. Research has found that asking directly does not increase risk, and it can open the door to help. If a teen is in immediate danger, call 911. For guidance or support, call or text 988.
Cost and access remain barriers. Many school districts offer counseling at no charge, and school-based health centers can reduce transportation and scheduling problems. Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program cover behavioral health services for eligible children, and private plans must cover many mental health services. Parents can ask a pediatrician about depression screening, which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends annually beginning at age 12.
The full 2025 dataset is now available, and states and school districts use it to plan programs. MedicalDaily will report on state and city results as they are released, including whether gains extend to the groups still at highest risk.
Key Questions Answered
What did the CDC find? The share of high school students who seriously considered suicide fell from 20% in 2023 to 14% in 2025. Suicide plans, suicide attempts, persistent sadness, and poor mental health also declined.
Does this mean teen mental health is fixed? No. About one in three students still reported persistent sadness or hopelessness, and that measure remains worse than in 2015.
Who is still at higher risk? Female students reported higher rates on all six mental health and suicide-risk indicators, and ninth graders were more likely than older students to make a suicide plan or attempt suicide.
What caused the improvement? The survey does not say. It tracks self-reported behaviors and cannot establish cause.
What warning signs should parents watch for? Talk of wanting to die, withdrawal from friends and activities, big changes in sleep or eating, giving away belongings, or sudden calm after deep distress.
Where can families get help? Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. In an emergency, call 911.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
