What are the risk factors for Suicide in our country
13 Jul 2020- Close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds.
- Suicide is a global phenomenon and occurs throughout the lifespan.
- India has the highest suicide rate in the South-East Asian region, according to the World Health Organization’s latest report.
- India’s suicide rate is 16.5 suicides per 100,000 people.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds globally.
- Suicides and suicide attempts have a ripple effect that impacts on families, friends, colleagues, communities and societies.
- Suicides are preventable. Much can be done to prevent suicide at individual, community and national levels.
- While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression, bipolar and alcohol use disorders) is well established, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis. Further risk factors include experience of loss, loneliness, discrimination, a relationship break-up, financial problems, chronic pain and illness, violence, abuse, and conflict or other humanitarian emergencies. The strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt.
- Much can be done to prevent suicide. WHO recommends four key interventions which have proven to be effective:
- Restricting access to means
- Working with the media to ensure responsible reporting of suicide
- Helping young people develop skills to cope with life’s pressures
- Early identification and management of people who are thinking about suicide or who have made a suicide attempt, keeping follow-up contact in the short and longer-term
- Collectively, WHO’s approach to suicide prevention is known as LIVE LIFE, comprising leadership, interventions, vision, evaluation (LIVE) as cross-cutting strategies and less means, interaction with the media, forming the young, early identification (LIFE) as key effective interventions. This approach is the basis on which comprehensive multisectoral national suicide prevention strategies should be developed.
- Please note all Suicides are not because of Psychiatric disorders / Mental Illness
- Suicide attempts occur 8-10 times more frequently than completed suicide.
- Although the experience of suicidal behaviour is unique and individual in nature, a number of bio-psychosocial and cultural factors have been found to influence the risk of suicide.
- Suicide research consistently demonstrates that women have higher rates of suicidal behaviour, i.e. ideation, planning and suicide attempts compared to men; however, men are more likely to die by suicide.
- Requires multimodal approach for effective prevention and management.
- Please talk to your family member, friend, mentor, teacher, colleague when you experience suicidal thoughts.
- Kindly meet your mental health professional at the earliest.
