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On Thursday 10th September, the World Health
Organization (WHO) embraces World Suicide Prevention, a
campaign to promote worldwide commitments and practical
measures to prevent suicides.
The organisation estimates that each year 900,000 people
commit suicide. This represents one death every 40
seconds. Suicide is among the three leading causes of
death in people between 15 and 44 years of age.
Every day there are on average almost 3,000 people who
end their lives, and at least 20 people attempt suicide
for every one that succeeds, says the international
agency.
In the case of Switzerland the age group most affected
are those over 75 years, with 272 suicides (172 men and
95 women). The next most effected are people in the 45
to 50 year age bracket, with 1,290 cases, of whom 899
were men and 400 women, according to statistics reported
by the WHO in 2005.
Follow-up Measures
Sponsored by the International Association for Suicide
Prevention, the WHO and its partners recommend follow-up
for those who have attempted suicide, along with a more
measured treatment of suicide by the media.
When asked how suicide can be prevented, experts say you
can not prevent all suicides, but most. Among the most
important at the “community level” of prevention include
reducing access to means of suicide (pesticides, drugs,
firearms, etc.) which are often close at hand.
Another measure is to treat people with mental
disorders, particularly those with depression,
alcoholism or schizophrenia, and the monitoring of
patients who have attempted suicide.
The Responsibility of the Media
Since prevention holds a major part in the campaign, the
WHO are asking the media to take a role that would avoid
sensationalising the subject, and not dwell on the
morbid aspect of suicide. On a more personal level, it
is important to know that only a small number of
suicides happen without warning. Most people who commit
suicide give definite warnings of their intentions. We
must therefore take seriously all threats of self harm.
Suicidal thoughts are not permanent
Many suicides occur in a period of improvement when the
person has the energy and the will to turn despairing
thoughts into destructive action. However, a person who
has ever attempted suicide need not necessarily always
be at risk.
According to experts, suicidal thoughts may return but
are not permanent and in many cases never return.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention was
founded by Professor Erwin Ringel and Dr. Norman
Farberow in 1960. Since then, professionals and
volunteers from more than fifty countries have joined
their ranks.
Swisslatin / adapted by Stephen Hinch
(11.09.2009) |
