DOWNTOWN — The number of people who killed themselves in Burbank this year has more than doubled compared with last year, leaving experts to speculate whether the economic slowdown has played a role.
Thirteen people committed suicide since January, compared with six in 2008, according to records released by the Burbank Police Department.
Calls for help from victims, family and friends have also increased, Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada said.
The calls for help come as a new federal government study showed more than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year. About 32,000 suicides occur annually in the United States, according to figures released last month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Local authorities expressed concerns about the general uptick and hopes that their release of the records, which are seldom publicized, would help raise awareness so those close to potential victims would know where to turn for help, Quesada said.