Anyone may be in a situation or under certain life circumstances in which our limits, and we all have limits, may be crossed and pushed so hard that we may end our lives.
More than 720 000 people die due to suicide every year.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.
Seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The reasons for suicide are multi-faceted, influenced by social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors present across the life-course.
For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide. A prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population.
Every year 726 000 people take their own life and there are many more people who make suicide attempts. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2021.
Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, close to three quarters (73%) of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2021.
Suicide is a serious public health problem that requires a public health response. With timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions, suicides can be prevented. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.
The link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depressive disorders and alcohol use) and a previous suicide attempt is well established in high-income countries. People with borderline personality disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder and many other disorders highly correlate with suicide. When we think about a suicide we need to understand that there is a thought, then urge and an attempt.
However, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship disputes, or chronic pain and illness.
Suicide rates are also high among vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons; and prisoners.
Stigma, particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide, means many people thinking of taking their own life or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need. The prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to a lack of awareness of suicide as a major public health problem and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it. To date, only a few countries have included suicide prevention among their health priorities and only 38 countries report having a national suicide prevention strategy.
Raising community awareness and breaking down the taboo is important for countries to make progress in preventing suicide.
MENTAL HEALTH IS PART OF OUR HEALTH. BRAIN IS AN ORGAN JUST LIKE OTHER ORGANS IN OUR BODY. RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF OUR BRAIN (MENTAL HEALTH) MUST BE JUST AS GOOD AS WE UNDERSTAND LUNGS, KIDNEYS, LIVER OR ANY OTHER ORGAN WHICH MAY GET ILL SOMETIMES.