Middle-aged white people now account for one-third of all suicides in the U. S.,

according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the nation’s 10th leading cause of death, and the overall rate rose 24% in 15 years. “The findings in this report are extremely concerning,” said Nadine Kaslow, a researcher at Emory University and past president of the American Psychological Association. The report does not try to answer why certain trends occur. But other experts speculate that middle age can be a particularly hard time for whites, who—compared with some other racial and ethnic groups—often don’t have as many supportive relationships with friends, family or religious communities.