2023-09-11 12:05:00
Yesterday, September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day was celebrated, with the aim of raising awareness and mobilizing society about this serious public health problem.
The chosen motto (International Association for Suicide Prevention – WHO) for 2021-2023 is “Creating hope through action”, which invites all sectors of society to contribute with concrete actions to prevent suicide and support people who need it.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in Spain, nearly 4,000 people took their lives in 2021. Specifically, in Aragon there were 114 people. Which places suicide as the main cause of external mortality.
The causes of suicidal behavior are numerous and complex. Although there may be a link between mental illness (mainly depression and alcohol consumption) and suicide, it is not a necessary correspondence. There are cases in which people commit these acts impulsively, mainly in situations of crisis or post-traumatic shock (suffering relationship breakups or violent acts, abuse, loss of loved ones, feeling of loneliness, economic problems…) .
Social stigma and lack of awareness remain significant barriers to seeking help. Normalizing situations of personal crisis, pain or extreme suffering would allow those who suffer from them to express themselves without fear of possible criticism and censure.
The ultimate objective should be to raise awareness throughout society about this problem and to be alert to possible signs from those closest to us.
The WHO has developed a guide to prevent suicide called Live Life (“Live Life”) which establishes the following interventions of proven effectiveness and based on evidence:
These measures must be accompanied by basic interventions such as situation analysis, multi-sectoral collaboration, awareness-raising, capacity building, financing, monitoring, and monitoring and evaluation.
Since last year, Line 024 has been in operation for suicidal behavior. This is a helpline for people with thoughts, ideations or risk of suicidal behavior, and their families and friends.
Sources and resources of interest:
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