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Studies show that the global crisis has exacerbated risk factors associated with suicidal behaviors, such as job loss, trauma or abuse, mental health disorders and barriers to accessing health care.
“Urgent public health problem”
“Suicide is an urgent public health problem and its prevention must be a national priority”, noted Renato Oliveira e Souza, Head of the Mental Health Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (perspectiveO).
“We need concrete action from all parts of society to end these deaths, and for governments to create and invest in a comprehensive national strategy to improve suicide prevention and care,” he said. he adds.
Globally, one in 100 deaths is suicide, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds, after road accidents, tuberculosis and interpersonal violence.
More people die each year from suicide than from HIV, malaria or breast cancer, or from war and homicide, according to WHO.
Traffic signs
Some of the verbal or behavioral warning signs of suicide include wanting to die, feeling immense guilt or shame, or feeling like a burden on others. Other signs feel empty, hopeless, or trapped, or have no reason to live, or feel extremely sad, anxious, agitated, or full of anger.
Some behavioral changes that can also be warning signs include finding ways to die, stay away from friends, donate important items, show extreme mood swings, eat, or sleep too much or too little; and use drugs or alcohol more often.
Anyone who sees warning signs of suicide, whether in themselves or someone they know, should seek help from a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Hope through action
World Suicide Prevention Day is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and endorsed by the WHO.
This year’s theme “Creating Hope Through Action” focuses on the need for collective action to solve the problem.
WHO recently published advice which supports national efforts to reduce the suicide rate worldwide by a third by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (ODD).
Key prevention measures include limiting access to means of suicide, such as guns and pesticides, as well as early identification, assessment, management and follow-up of those affected by thoughts and suicidal behavior.
Other actions include promoting the socio-emotional skills of adolescents and educating the media about responsible reporting on suicide.
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