Suicide

Around the world, around one million people commit suicide each year, including more than 6,000 in the UK and Ireland, of whom around 1,500 are women and 4,500 men.
Although the number of young men committing suicide has increased over the past couple of decades, suicides among women have fallen. The reason for this is currently not well understood.

It may be women are better at expressing and dealing with their distress. It may also be that current social, financial and economic issues have put more pressure on men. However, the fall has also been attributed to suicide prevention strategies, improved social conditions and changes that have affected the way people try to commit suicide, such as selling only limited amounts of over the counter medicines at a time (reducing the risk of impulsive overdose).

What leads to suicide?

The factors that lead someone to take their own life are complex. There’s rarely one single trigger, although there may be an important 'last straw'.
People may be more vulnerable to suicide because of a genetic predisposition, personality trait or lack of support. In many suicides there has been a long history of mental health problems, the main ones being depression, eating disorders and schizophrenia. Relationship problems are also frequent factors expressed by women who have survived a suicide attempt or have admitted to considering suicide.

Other factors include physical illness (acute and chronic), alcohol and drug abuse, social isolation, housing, money and job problems. Even the phases of the moon have been implicated as having some effect on mood and acting on impulse. But one in five suicides, especially among the young, show no previous sign of emotional difficulties - just some sudden upset which they seemed unable to cope with.

The final straw may be the end of an important relationship, having to face up to debt or a court case, losing one’s home or job, or simply an event that stirs the emotions.
The emotional pressure of external events seems to be particularly pertinent for women. For example, after the death of Princess Diana in 1997, there was a 33 per cent rise in suicides among women. This increase was particularly marked among women of a similar age to Diana. Deliberate self-harm also increased. It's thought her death may have made people feel worse about their own personal distress.

Can suicide be prevented?

Marriage and a strong religious faith appear to protect against suicide. Single men and women, whether they have never married, or are divorced or widowed, are much more likely to commit suicide. Contributing factors such as pure loneliness and the financial and social disadvantages of living alone are important but statistics show there are even physical health disadvantages of living alone, with an increasing incidence of acute and chronic disease in single people, affecting the likelihood of suicide.

There are many facets to faith that reduce the risk of suicide, including the fact that suicide isn’t acceptable to many faiths, and that people with strong religious beliefs tend to have more supportive social networks.

The World Health Organization has recommended six broad approaches to prevention:

• Effective treatment of those with mental disorders
• Control of gun possession
• Detoxification of domestic gas
• Detoxification of car emissions
• Control of availability of toxic substances
• Toning down reports in the media

The International Association for Suicide Prevention provides good general background information about suicide and how it can be prevented.

Attempted suicide

Suicide is rarer under the age of 14, because young children lack the ability or understanding to act it out. Older children are much more likely to consider suicide impulsively.

Younger women are more likely to resort to deliberate self-harm and attempted suicide, rather than suicide itself. At least 140,000 people in England and Wales attempt suicide every year, and this number is rising dramatically, particularly among the young.

This isn't failed suicide but rather a 'cry for help', and whilst it's most common among teenage girls it occurs in both sexes. It's a mistake not to take it seriously. Many repeatedly attempt suicide and about one in 100 will die by suicide within a year of an attempt, a suicide risk approximately 100 times that of the general population.

Everyone who has tried to kill themselves - old or young, female or male - should be assessed by a health professional, usually in hospital, with further support, medical and social, once they’re back in the community.

Losing someone through suicide

Losing someone you care for is intensely painful, but when the death was intentional there are particularly difficult issues to work through for their loved ones, friends and colleagues left behind. The grieving process is characterised by agonising questioning and a search for some explanation. Common feelings, as well as the sadness and loss of bereavement, include guilt at not recognising there was a problem and offering help, and anger at the person who committed suicide for having left them in this way.

Talk to your doctor or get advice from The Compassionate Friends, which runs local support groups for parents bereaved through suicide. Cruse Bereavement Care is another charity which helps people cope with bereavements including from suicide.

Helping someone who might be contemplating suicide

If you're worried that someone you know may be contemplating suicide, there are several things you should do to help get them through the crisis.
Listen quietly and reflectively to what they have to say - let them express their worries and tell you how they see life.

Don't try to offer simple solutions or pressurise them to see your viewpoint. Suicidal people want someone who won't judge and give advice or opinions, but who will give their undivided attention.

Encourage them to talk to their doctor or people used to dealing with this problem. Find them contact details of where they can seek trained help such as local counselling services and charities such as The Samaritans.

If they won't get help and you're worried they may be in immediate danger, call the emergency services (999) and let the professionals sort it out.