World Suicide Prevention Day 10.09.2014- ‘suicide prevention: one world connected.’

World Suicide Prevention Day 10.09.2014

Dr.M.A.Aleem.M.D.D.M., (Neuro) professor of Neurology KAPV Government Medical college.& MGM Government Hospital Trichy -620017.Tamilnadu Cell: 94431-59940 E-mail: drmaaleem@hotmail.com

Introduction

Nearly 3000 People on average commit suicide daily according to WHO. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. About one million people die by suicide each year this roughly corresponds to one death every 40 seconds. Suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death which is influenced by psycho-social cultural and environmental risk factors that can be prevented through worldwide reduce suicides

World suicide prevention day, which first started in 2003, is annually held on September 10 each year. World suicide prevention Day aims to:

 Raise awareness that suicide is preventable.

 Improve education about suicide.

 spread information about suicide awareness

 Decrease stigmatization regarding suicide.

Suicide prevention: one world connected

Suicide is a major public health problem. The psychological pain that leads each of these individuals to take their lives is unimaginable. Their deaths leave families and friends bereft, and often have a major ripple effect on communities.The number of live lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined.

Suicide is the fifth leading causes of death among those aged 30-49 years in 2012 globally, and is the second leading cause of death in the 15-29 years age group in 2012 globally.

In 2012, suicide accounted for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, making it the 15th leading cause of death. Mental disorders (particularly depression and alcohol use disorders) are a major risk factor for suicide in Europe and North America; however, in Asian countries impulsiveness plays an important role. Suicide is complex with psychological, social, biological, cultural and environmental factors involved.


Efforts to prevent suicide have been celebrated on world suicide prevention Day-September 10th –each year since 2003. In 2014, the theme of world suicide prevention Day is ‘suicide prevention: one world connected.’ the theme reflects the bract that connections are important at several levels if we are to combat suicide.

Connectedness is crucial to individuals who may be vulnerable to suicide. Studies have shown that social isolation can increase the risk of suicide and conversely, that having strong human bonds can be protective against it. Reaching out to those who have become disconnected from others and offering them support and friendship may be a life-saving act.

Connectedness can also be understood in terms of clinical care. Mental illness, particularly depression, is an important risk factor for suicide. Internationally, treatments for mental illness have improved, but access to these treatments remains unequal. Primary care providers, often the first port of call for people with mental illness, are not always able to diagnose and treat mental illness. Specialist mental health care providers are not always available, so referral options may be limited. Even when services are available, they are not always sufficiently well coordinated to provide optimal care. People with mental illness often’ fall through the cracks, particularly-but not exclusively-in developing countries. Connectedness and collaboration between services is also important at this level in prevention suicide. The right service or individual clinician must be available at the right time for someone with mental health problems, and must be able to offer and deliver effectively the full range of treatment options.

Finally, connectedness is necessary at a national and international level. Many clinical and non-clinical organizations are working towards the goal of preventing suicide, but their efforts are not always synchronized. World suicide prevention Day has proved to be very successful in encouraging organizations to coordinate their efforts and learn from each other. It has also assisted those who have been bereaved by suicide in making themselves heard in discussions about suicide prevention. This has sharpened the focus on activities that are effective in preventing suicide.

World Suicide Prevention Day in 2014 is significant because it makes the release by the WHO of the World Suicide Report (WSR). The report follows the adoption of the Comprehensive Mental Health Action plan 2013 – 2020 by the World Health Assembly, which commits all 194 member states to reducing their suicide rates by 10% by 2020.

Young Indians are more likely to commit suicide than previously thought, especially those living in wealthier and more educated regions, according to a study on Friday that experts say suggests India’s rapid development is driving many youths to despair.

Opportunities that have come with two decades of economic boom and open markets have also brought more job anxiety, higher expectations and more pressure to achieve, mental health experts said.In India suicide rates are highest in the 15-29 age groups, peaking in southern regions that are considered richer and more developed with better education, social welfare and health care.

That puts the young at high risk – new phenomenon experts said has happened recently as more middle-class youths strive to meet achievement expectations, and new technologies like cell phones and social networking sites help break down traditional family units once relied on for support.

The WHO reports about 1 million suicides a year, which would be a rate of about 14 per 100,000 in a global population of 7 billion. By comparison, the U.S. had 37,790 suicides in 2010, or a rate of 12.2 per 100,000 , while India’s rate of suicide tally at 187,000 would be near 16 per 10,0000 which is far higher than earlier reports and estimates of around 10/100,000.

There has been little scientific examination of suicide motives in India.

The likely reasons for the rise in suicide among young India people beyond the increased pressure that has come with new economic opportunity and social fragmentation.

The higher rates may come from “the greater likelihood of disappointments when aspirations that define success and happiness are distorted or unmet by the reality faced by young people in a rapidly changing society.The social networking was also making “loneliness more common” which may also predispose suicidal ideas Among men, 40 per cent of suicides were among people age 15-29. For women, in was nearly 60 per cent.


The numbers mean young men are nearly as likely to die from suicide and in traffic accidents, while rates of suicide among young women are nearly as high as the rate of death by complications from pregnancy of childbirth.

There are few facilities in India for mental health problems, and stigmas prevent many people from seeking support. Telephone help lines are often not adequately staffed, and many schools do not have counselors. But in Tamilnadu our chief minister has recently open the 104 help line which very much useful to prevent suicide in Tamilnadu.