1. The 40 % figure is often inflated and misused
Many detransitioners say the famous “40 % of trans people attempt suicide” number is repeated without context. They point out that the same percentage is quoted for both attempts and actual deaths, and that it is applied to children, teens, and adults alike. “I’ve seen that same number applied to those that attempt and those that succeed. It seems to be a blanket number used to pre-teens, post-teens, pre-adults, and post-adults.” – SedatedApe61 source [citation:1539d973-63b1-460a-bc20-2f3d9f2dd5fc] This conflation makes the risk feel far larger and more immediate than the data actually show.

2. The statistic stays the same after transition, pointing to deeper issues
Several people who once transitioned note that the suicide-attempt rate remains around 40 % even after social or medical steps. They argue this suggests the problem is not simply “being trans,” but other mental-health struggles that often travel alongside gender distress. “The suicide rate upwards of 42 % in the community, that STAYS about 40 % even after social and medical transition, is from depression and other mental illness, not bigotry.” – Hot_Ad_2492 source [citation:dcb2aa88-59e7-47ca-af0e-779f83f708da] In other words, transition alone does not appear to resolve the underlying pain.

3. Loss-to-follow-up hides the real picture
Clinics often claim “only 1–2 % of patients detransition,” but detransitioners say this is misleading because most people who stop identifying simply disappear from the system. “It’s near impossible to track something like this… most detrans people do not keep in touch with the doctors that helped them transition.” – lumpydumpy22222 source [citation:4d212879-3aaa-48ab-97ec-ebc864232db7] The same tracking problem means we do not know how many of the “lost” patients later died by suicide, making the published safety numbers unreliable.

4. The statistic is used to pressure people into transition
Parents, teachers, and even therapists sometimes repeat the 40 % figure as a reason to start medical steps immediately. Detransitioners describe feeling cornered: “People, children, have been encouraged to transition out of fear of suicide.” – cavemanben source [citation:017af58b-c6f0-4133-93c3-ba8974e5f934] When the risk is presented as “transition or die,” other options—therapy, family support, or simply allowing time—are pushed aside.

5. Gender non-conformity offers a non-medical path to relief
Instead of fitting into a new gender box, many detransitioners found peace by stepping outside the boxes altogether. They encourage questioning people to explore why they feel distress, to seek mental-health care for co-existing conditions, and to experiment with clothing, hobbies, and friendships that feel authentic—without drugs or surgery. The stories show that understanding oneself as a whole person, rather than as a set of stereotypes, can reduce despair more effectively than chasing a perfect gender label.

Conclusion
The widely cited 40 % suicide-attempt statistic is more complicated—and less helpful—than it first appears. When the same number is used for attempts and deaths, when it stays flat after transition, and when many patients are simply lost from the data, the picture becomes murky. What is clear from detransitioners’ experiences is that underlying mental-health struggles, social support, and freedom from rigid gender roles matter far more than any medical intervention. Exploring gender non-conformity, building a strong support network, and addressing mental-health needs offer hopeful, non-medical routes toward feeling at home in your own body and life.