Limiting access to methods of suicide, treating mental disorders and substance misuse, careful media reporting about suicide, improving social and economic conditions[2]
Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress (such as from financial or academic difficulties), relationship problems (such as breakups or divorces), or harassment and bullying.[2][11][12] Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a higher risk for future attempts.[2] Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance abuse; careful media reporting about suicide; improving economic conditions;[2][13] and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).[14] Although crisis hotlines are common resources, their effectiveness has not been well studied.[15][16]
Suicides resulted in 828,000 deaths globally in 2015, an increase from 712,000 deaths in 1990.[17][18][inconsistent] This makes suicide the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.[3][6] Approximately 1.5% of all deaths worldwide are by suicide.[8] In a given year, this is roughly 12 per 100,000 people.[6] Rates of suicide are generally higher among men than women, ranging from 1.5 times higher in the developing world to 3.5 times higher in the developed world.[1] Suicide is generally most common among those over the age of 70; however, in certain countries, those aged between 15 and 30 are at the highest risk.[1] Europe had the highest rates of suicide by region in 2015.[19] There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year.[20] Non-fatal suicide attempts may lead to injury and long-term disabilities.[21] In the Western world, attempts are more common among young people and women.[21] The most commonly adopted method of suicide varies from country to country and is partly related to the availability of effective means.[22]
Views on suicide have been influenced by broad existential themes such as religion, honor, and the meaning of life.[23][24] The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide as an offense towards God due to belief in the sanctity of life.[25] During the samurai era in Japan, a form of suicide known as seppuku (腹切り, harakiri) was respected as a means of making up for failure or as a form of protest.[26] Similarly, a ritual fast unto death, known as Vatakkiruttal (Tamil: வடக்கிருத்தல், Vaṭakkiruttal, 'fasting facing north'), was a Tamil ritual suicide in ancient India during the Sangam age.[27] Suicide and attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries.[28] It remains a criminal offense in some countries.[29] In the 20th and 21st centuries, suicide has been used on rare occasions as a form of protest;
or as both a military and terrorist tactic while or after murdering others.[30] Suicide is often seen as a major catastrophe causing significant grief to the deceased's relatives, friends and community members, and it is viewed negatively almost everywhere around the world.[31][32][33]
^De La Vega D, Giner L, Courtet P (March 2018). "Suicidality in Subjects With Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: Recent Advances". Current Psychiatry Reports. 20 (4): 26. doi:10.1007/s11920-018-0885-z. ISSN1523-3812. PMID29594718. S2CID4549236.
^"Suicide rates rising across the U.S."CDC Online Newsroom. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019. Relationship problems or loss, substance misuse; physical health problems; and job, money, legal or housing stress often contributed to risk for suicide.
^DeCou CR, Comtois KA, Landes SJ (January 2019). "Dialectical Behavior Therapy Is Effective for the Treatment of Suicidal Behavior: A Meta-Analysis". Behav Ther. 50 (1): 60–72. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2018.03.009. PMID30661567. S2CID58666001.
^Sakinofsky I (June 2007). "The current evidence base for the clinical care of suicidal patients: strengths and weaknesses". Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 52 (6 Suppl 1): 7S–20S. PMID17824349. Other suicide prevention strategies that have been considered are crisis centers and hotlines, method control, and media education... There is minimal research on these strategies. Even though crisis centers and hotlines are used by suicidal youth, information about their impact on suicidal behavior is lacking.
^Zalsman G, Hawton K, Wasserman D, van Heeringen K, Arensman E, Sarchiapone M, et al. (July 2016). "Suicide prevention strategies revisited: 10-year systematic review". The Lancet. Psychiatry. 3 (7): 646–59. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30030-X. hdl:1854/LU-8509936. PMID27289303. Other approaches that need further investigation include gatekeeper training, education of physicians, and internet and helpline support.
^ abChang B, Gitlin D, Patel R (September 2011). "The depressed patient and suicidal patient in the emergency department: evidence-based management and treatment strategies". Emergency Medicine Practice. 13 (9): 1–23, quiz 23–4. PMID22164363.