Suicide claims a life every 40 seconds

A death by suicide occurs every 40 seconds somewhere in the world, the World Health Organisation said in its first global report calling for more suicide prevention strategies.

Around three-quarters of those suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, where self-poisoning by pesticide is the leading cause; other common methods include hanging and firearms, the WHO said.

Suicides of famous people such as comedian Robin Williams have called attention to risk factors such as depression. Still, while prevention strategies have been established in many high-income countries over the last decade, more need to be devised in the developing world, said Rory O’Connor, who leads the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

“This report is long overdue,” said O’Connor, who was consulted by the WHO as an expert reviewer of the report.

“What we need, especially in lower-and middle-income countries, is to encourage politicians and people in positions of power to start developing these strategies.”

Interventions should include policies to promote mental health, reduce harmful use of alcohol, improve access to health care, and restrict access to methods of suicide, the WHO said.

While programmes in countries such as Japan, Switzerland and Scotland can serve as examples, each strategy must be tailored to each country and be sensitive to cultural differences, O’Connor said.

Still, these measures ignore broader questions of what is driving people to take their own lives, said David Lester, a professor of psychology and suicide expert at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

“How are we making our citizens so miserable, depressed, feeling that life is meaningless?” Lester said. “The high rates of drug use, depression and suicide demand a much more profound discussion of what is wrong with society today.”

WHO chief Margaret Chan, in the landmark report capping a decade of research, said: “Every suicide is a tragedy. It is estimated that over 800,000 people die by suicide and that there are many suicide attempts for each death,” said

“The impact on families, friends and communities is devastating and far-reaching, even long after persons dear to them have taken their own lives,” she added.

* Pieta House will open the doors of their suicide and self-harm crisis centres from 2-4pm tomorrow, ahead of Suicide Awareness Week (September 8-14). Visitors will have the opportunity to meet some of the therapists and have their questions answered.

Pieta House’s focus for Suicide Awareness Week is on the ‘SIGNS of suicide’. They will run an educational campaign to help the public recognise the signs of suicidal behaviour and offer advice on what to do if a loved one is in crisis.

Pieta House have four Dublin centres in Lucan, Finglas, Ballyfermot and Tallaght, and centres in Limerick, Cork, Tuam, Roscrea and Castleisland; pieta.ie