Suicide is the act of deliberately taking one’s own life. Suicidal behavior is any deliberate action with potentially life-threatening consequences, such as taking a drug overdose or deliberately crashing a car.

Nearly 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 million to 20 million suicide attempts annually.

Seventy-three percent of suicides in the world occur in developing countries, though data is unavailable for 73% of countries. More than half the suicides (54%) in the world occur in China and India. In developing countries the highest rate is found in the young (below 30 years) It is closely associated with various psychiatric illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis and alcohol dependence. The social stressors associated with suicide are loneliness, rejection, and marital conflicts in developed countries, whereas inter-generational conflicts, love failure, and exam failure are found in developing countries.

A highly significant relationship between domestic violence and suicidal ideation in women has been found in many developing nations.

Many who make a suicide attempt are seeking relief from thoughts of feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others, feeling like a victim, feelings of rejection, loss, or loneliness. Read more...