‘Shift the narrative’ on suicide to prevent loss of 720,000 lives annually

Speaking on World Suicide Prevention Day, which is marked annually on 10 September, WHO’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “each life lost leaves a profound impact on families, friends, colleagues and entire communities.”

All age groups are affected by suicide and was the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2021, the last year for which data has been gathered by WHO.

Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries and impacts all regions of the world.

Close to three quarters of global suicides occurred in low and middle-income countries in 2021.

The average number of suicides across the world in 2021 was 8.9 per 100,000 people.

In Africa the figure stood at 11.5, while in both Europe and Southeast Asia the number of suicides was recorded at 10.1 per 100,000 people.

Globally, the lowest suicide rate was in the Eastern Mediterranean region at 4.0 per 100,000, while in the Western Pacific it was 7.5 per 100,000.

Who’s at risk?

The link between suicide and mental disorders, in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders, and a previous suicide attempt is well established in high-income countries.

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.

In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour.

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 incarcerated prisoners.

Moving from silence to openness

“We must move from silence to openness, from stigma to empathy, and from neglect to support,” said Dr. Tedros.

“We must create environments where people feel safe to speak up and seek help,” he said.

“Shifting the narrative on suicide also means driving systemic change, where governments prioritise and invest in quality mental health care and policies to ensure everyone gets the support they need.”

According to the 2024 Mental Health Atlas report by WHO, median government spending on mental health has remained at a modest 2 percent of total health budgets since 2017.

Moreover, there is a significant disparity between high-income and low-income nations. Whilst high-income nations allocate up to $65 per person to mental health, low-income nations spend as little as $0.04.

WHO recognizes mental health as a universal human right.

Effective prevention measures

WHO says that there are effective measures that can be taken to prevent suicide and self-harm.

LIVE LIFE, the agency’s initiative for suicide prevention, recommends the following key effective evidence-based interventions:

• limit access to the means of suicide (eg, pesticides, firearms, certain medications);
• interact with the media for responsible reporting of suicide;
• foster socio-emotional life skills in adolescents;
• early identify, assess, manage and follow up anyone who is affected by suicidal behaviours.