World Suicide Prevention Day Activities And Events Planned Across The Globe

Hundreds of organizations and groups across the globe have planned events and activities to mark World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10th).

Oslo (I-Newswire) September 9, 2012 - From Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Emmonak, Alaska; Nocochea, Argentina to Launceston, Tasmania; Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan to Sabah, Malaysia; and Alberton, South Africa to Lausanne, Switzerland; organizations and groups have planned a wide range of activities and events to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, an annual event, held on September 10th, organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). These activities and events include memorial walks, conferences, mental health screening, music concerts, education talks and suicide prevention workshops, and more.

According to the WHO, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people. Approximately one million people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. The number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined. These staggering figures do not include suicide attempts which may be up to 20 times the number of deaths by suicide, which works out to be one attempt every 1.5 seconds.

IASP President, Dr. Lanny Berman, states, “The economic costs associated with self-inflicted death or injuries are estimated to be in the billions of US dollars a year. The psychological and social impact of suicide on the family and community is staggering.” He continues, “the theme of this year’s Day is ‘Suicide Prevention Across the Globe: Strengthening Protective Factors and Instilling Hope.’ We are stressing that there is hope because across the globe organizations such as ours are making advances in suicide prevention, research, understanding and outreach.”

Despite the wide experience of the risk factors in populations, the fact that completed suicide is a relatively rare event indicates that there is a range of protective factors that act to mitigate the effects of exposure to risk factors. Among psychological factors, resilience (the ability to cope with adverse life events and adjust to them), a sense of personal self-worth and self-confidence, effective coping and problem-solving skills, and adaptive help-seeking behaviour are often considered to be protective against the development of suicidal behaviours.

Social and cultural factors such as religious and social integration, social connectedness and maintenance of good relationships with friends, colleagues and neighbours, access to support from relevant others and ready access to health care are associated with a reduced risk of suicide and reduced repetition of attempted suicide. In addition, a healthy lifestyle, with maintenance of good diet and sleep habits, regular physical activity, abstinence from smoking, is also associated with a reduced risk of suicidal behavior.

Suicide is a multi-determined phenomenon that occurs against a background of complex interacting biological, social, psychological and environmental risk and protective factors. Despite the complexity of this phenomenon, suicide can be prevented.

“We are delighted to see such positive programs being held in India and Ireland and are heartened to have the Royal College of Psychiatrists partner with groups to produce a suicide prevention awareness program called ‘U Can Cope,’” says Berman. He continues, “Dublin, Moscow, Barcelona, Rome, Vienna and Rio de Janeiro are just a few of world cities that are holding conferences. All this helps to reduce stigma that is associated with suicide, suicide prevention and mental health issues.”

IASP anticipates that individuals from over 50 countries will be observing World Suicide Prevention Day with activities such as memorial walks, cultural or educational events, or through simply lighting a candle, near a window at 8pm, in support of suicide prevention, to remember a loved one lost to suicide, and for those who are bereaved by suicide.

Established in Vienna, in 1960, by the late Professor Erwin Ringel, IASP is the key Non-Government Organization in official relations with the World Health Organization in addressing suicide. IASP has brought global attention to the unacceptable loss of approximately 1 million people each year worldwide who die by suicide.

IASP is a unique multidisciplinary organization with its membership coming from 50 countries, primarily from the mental health professions, but with additional members from such disciplines as sociology, social work, anthropology, medicine, public health, education, corrections, probation, coroners/medical examiners, pathology and philosophy. World Suicide Prevention Day activities can be viewed here: www.iasp.info/wspd/2012_wspd_activities.php.

World Suicide Prevention Day
www.iasp.info/wspd

For further information, please contact:

Mrs. Vanda Scott OBE
Development Consultant
Tel: +44 7824 9955 67
office@iasp.info

Ms. Wendy Orchard
Administrator
Tel: +44 7411 149 495
admin@iasp.info

Mr. Kenneth Hemmerick
Webmaster
Tel: 1-438-930-4275
webmaster@iasp.info
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