“Suicide” The worst thing any Human can do to him/her self
We observe World Suicide Prevention Day each year on September 10. It’s a growing problem and the numbers tell a shocking story. Every 40 seconds someone takes their own life according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That’s about 800,000 people worldwide every year — although some estimates put that number closer to 1 million. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29 and for every suicide that results in death, there are as many as 40 attempted suicides. What we know for sure is that there’s a lot to live for. Check out National Suicide Prevention Month for more information.
This year’s theme is all about ‘Creating Hope Through Action.’ So, let’s work together with our family, friends, healthcare workers, religious and political leaders to prevent suicide through active counseling and support. It’s time we empowered others to be in charge of their lives and value the one life they have.
Did you know that suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States? It affects all age groups equally. It’s important therefore to have discussions around mental health, making it easier for others to talk about the tough times they are going through and seek professional help if necessary.
WHEN IS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 2022?
Awareness of the growing yet very much preventable act of suicide is observed on World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
HISTORY OF WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
We lead busy lifestyles and barely get time to sit and actually process our thoughts, which is likely a reason why mental health issues or underlying problems go unassessed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is committed somewhere in the world every 40 seconds. Approximately 800,000 people die every year due to suicide. The majority of these occur in underdeveloped and developing countries. These figures are startling, considering that suicide is preventable. Undiagnosed and untreated mental illness is the biggest reason behind suicide.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) initiated World Suicide Prevention Day in 2003. The day is co-sponsored by the World Federation for Mental Health and World Health Organization. The aim of the day is to research and collect data on suicidal behavior, determine the various causes and why its signs go unnoticed, and developing sound practices and policies for suicide prevention.
IASP wanted to create awareness by informing the public how to identify the warning signs of someone who is contemplating suicide and reach out to them before it’s too late. Because the initiative has done so well, WHO partnered with it from its second year onwards.
WHO’s global suicide prevention campaign from 1999 was mentioned on the first World Suicide Prevention Day in 2003, citing the following as its main goals:
“The organization of global, regional and national multi-sectoral activities to increase awareness about suicidal behaviors and how to effectively prevent them.”
“The strengthening of countries’ capabilities to develop and evaluate national policies and plans for suicide prevention.”
