World Suicide Prevention Day: Working Together To Prevent Suicide

Each year, one of the top 20 ranking cause of global death of people of all ages is suicide; its control and prevention still stand as a universal challenge. Suicide rate increases every minute and each suicide death represents someone’s friend, parent, child, partner, colleague or neighbour.

According to statistics from the World Health Organization(WHO), 800,000 persons die by suicide annually. 135 persons are affected for each suicidal act amounting to 108 million people impacted by suicidal behaviors annually.

With enormous efforts put in place to prevent suicide, the rate of suicide attempt however keeps increasing among the human populace. Global statistics has it that someone dies every 40 seconds by suicide, 25 people makes suicide attempt while many more have serious thoughts and ideation to attempt.

World suicide prevention day is observed every 10th of September to create awareness and encourage the global society to join hands together for suicide prevention.

Suicide prevention strategies are very vital to elevate suicide prevention globally through the collective effort of individuals, government, local citizen organization, health professionals.
Mental illness is not deliberated on in Nigeria.

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However, the attention of the country has been drawn to it by events that has been brought to the limelight (Akachi, a student of University of Nigeria Nsukka, Mr. Onyechere Ibeakanma a 46yr old banker in Abia State and Mr. John Antagav amongst many others). A lot of individuals are depressed, pained, hopeless and yet no one knows because they hide the negative energy behind a beautiful smile while they suffer the mental implications.

According to Nigeria Health Watch, the major cause of suicide is depression which comes with restlessness, sleeplessness, sadness, persistent feeling of loss of pleasure, appetite, concentration, sex drive and coordination. This change starts from mild to moderate until it is severe and goes completely out of hand to the point of intense feeling of hopelessness, worthlessness, unnecessary guilt and wanting to end it all (suicidal thoughts).

As suicide rate increases, it’s a wakeup call for every individual and the general public to participate in working together to reduce the increasing suicide rate by always reaching out and keeping in touch with our loved ones, relations, neighbors and colleagues.