SOCIAL ASPECTS OF

SUICIDE AND ITS

PREVENTION

Sinduja.S
Roll no:30
What is Suicide ?
• Suicide is the act of deliberately killing oneself.
• Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide
every year.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death
among 15–29-year-olds.
• 79% of global suicides occur in low- and
middle-income countries.
What causes Suicide?
• Health system
• Society
• Community
• Relationships
• Individual
Barriers to access health care
• Suicide risk increases significantly with
comorbidity, so timely and effective access to
health care is essential to reducing the risk of
suicide.

Society
• Access to means
• Inappropriate media reporting
• Stigma associated with help-seeking behaviour
Community
• Disaster, war and conflict
• Stresses of acculturation and dislocation
• Discrimination
• Trauma or abuse

Relationships
• Sense of isolation and lack of social support
• Relationship conflict, discord or loss
Individual
• Previous suicide attempt
• Mental disorders
• Harmful use of alcohol
• Job or financial loss
• Hopelessness
• Chronic pain
• Family history of suicide
INTERVENTIONS

• Universal prevention strategies-entire population

• Selective prevention strategies-target vulnerable

groups (age, sex, occupational status or family
history)

• Indicated prevention strategies-target specific

vulnerable individuals within the population − e.g.
those displaying early signs of suicide potential or
who have made a suicide attempt.
Universal preventive strategies

• Mental health policies

• Policies to reduce harmful use of alcohol
• Access to health care
• Restriction of access to means
• Responsible media reporting
• Raising awareness about mental health,
substance use disorders and suicide
Selective preventive strategies
• Interventions for vulnerable groups
• Gatekeeper training
• Crisis helplines
Indicated preventive strategies
• Follow-up and community support
• Assessment and management of suicidal
behaviours
• Assessment and management of mental and
substance use disorders
WHO initiated the LIVE LIFE approach for
suicide prevention
With technical support from WHO, the United Nations
published Prevention of suicide: guidelines for the
formulation and implementation of national strategies
(typical components)
• Surveillance • Crisis intervention
• Means restriction • Postvention
• Media • Awareness
• Access to services • Stigma reduction
• Training and education • Oversight and
• Treatment coordination
IN INDIA
• A comprehensive suicide prevention strategy within
the framework of the National Mental Health
Policy of India 2014 is imperative
• NGOs
References
• https://www.who.int/mental_health/suicide-
prevention/world_report_2014
• Live life: Preventing Suicide - WHO
THANK YOU