The suicide rate includes only confirmed suicides, most common way in America is self inflicted gunshot. However this is because it excludes overdoses unless they leave a suicide note. If they don't leave a note those are classified as accidental death by the coroner.

Thanks for that information, it definitely restricts my concerns to motives for suicide, rather than accidental overdose.

It's all connected. I don't know many of the people that have been hit hard by heroin that didn't touch pills as well. It's a n issue with multiple fronts including pharma and heroin. But more importantly than any of this in my opinion is what pushes them all to continuously do drugs. Lack of opportunity. My home town friends are landscapers, farmers, movers, people that mow your lawns, etc. How can they move from that to adapting to this new society and what's America's plan to help these people?