May 6, 2009 (San Diego)--May is Mental Health Month--and County of San Diego officials decided to kick it off highlighting the connection between the economic crisis and suicide.

In San Diego County, the number of suicides increased 17 percent during the last five years, reaching 366 in 2008. The biggest increase took place in 2007 when the number of suicides reached 356 compared to 313 the previous year. Preliminary data for the first two months of this year indicates that about one suicide is taking place in San Diego County every day.