(haipo) - World Suicide Prevention Day is celebrated today (Tuesday 10/9/24) around the world, with the aim of raising awareness of the phenomenon of suicides and stressing the importance of preventing them, as part of the global struggle to maintain mental health. What is the situation here in Israel with regard to the issue, and especially in light of the tense situation in which Israeli society finds itself in the last few months and no less after the events of Sheva in October 2023.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the World Federation for Mental Health, is leading the international effort to raise awareness of this important issue. On the 10th of September every year since 2011, the world celebrates World Suicide Prevention Day.
The Ministry of Health in Israel launched today (Tuesday 10/9/24) for the first time, a suicide prevention campaign aimed at men and their families, deals with the difficulty of men talking about their distress and encourages sharing with friends and family members in distress. The campaign emphasizes the assistance to men because the suicide rate is higher among men. According to the data of the Ministry of Health, every year in Israel about 400 men out of about 500 people commit suicide.
One of the main causes of death in the world
Suicide is considered one of the leading causes of death in the world, with approximately one million people committing suicide each year, and over 20 million additional suicide attempts. It is a complex social problem, affecting many population groups, and officials in the health and mental health system are trying to find new ways to combat it.
In Israel, at the end of last July, the Ministry of Health published the report "Suicide in Israel" for the year 2023, which reviews the trends in suicide and suicide attempts in the last twenty years (2000-2020, 2004-2022). According to the report, suicide continues to be a worrying phenomenon that affects on different population groups in Israel, but at the same time, there are also encouraging trends in some cases.
An increase in the public discourse on suicide
Suicide Prevention Day seeks to shed light on the challenges that mental health poses and to shed light on the difficulties and hardships that may lead people to extreme situations. By educating the public, promoting professional assistance and preventing loneliness and stigma, the organizers hope to reduce the scope of the phenomenon and encourage support for those who need it most. In Israel and around the world, in recent years, the issue has received more exposure in the public discourse, and this day is an important reminder that one must stand guard, support and help those in need.
The second most common cause of death among young people
According to the Ministry of Health's report that reveals data on suicides and suicide attempts in Israel, it appears that in 2020 there were 437 suicides, and the rate of suicides was 6.4 cases per 100,000 people. The most common suicides were recorded among men - 3.8 times more than among women. This figure Especially serious, when suicide became the second most common cause of death among young people aged 15-24.
Regarding suicide attempts, 2022 cases were recorded in 6,861, with an alarming trend among girls and young women aged 10-24, who accounted for about half of all attempts.
The impact of the Sheva events in October - a decrease in suicide cases compared to previous years
Following the events of October 7, 2023, the Ministry of Health and the Mental Health Division conducted a follow-up on the effect of mental distress on suicide rates. Despite the concerns, the data indicate a decrease in suicide cases between October and December 2023 compared to previous years, something that may be explained by a sense of social cohesion in times of crisis.
The report highlights the disparities between different population groups. Among Arab men, the suicide rate is low compared to men in the general population, but young Arabs up to the age of 45 make up a significant percentage of the suicide cases in this population. Among immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union, high suicide rates were recorded compared to the general population. , although there is a continuous decline in these trends in the last decade.
Haifa is among the districts with the highest suicide rates
The report indicates that the highest suicide rates were recorded in the districts of Tel Aviv, Haifa and the South, while in Jerusalem the rate is lower. Also, there is a seasonal effect: months such as May, June, September and March are characterized by a high incidence of suicides, while in the months of October and December, such as Even on Fridays and Saturdays, the frequency decreases.
Despite the relative decrease in suicide rates in the last decade, the report clarifies that this is a complex and sensitive phenomenon that requires ongoing attention. Knowing the risk groups and constantly monitoring these trends may form an important basis for the continued development of prevention programs and public assistance.
The difficulty of revealing emotional distress increases the suicidal risk
Studies from around the world and from Israel emphasize that the difficulty of revealing emotional distress and calling for help increases the risk of suicide in distress situations. Therefore, and to prevent injury, it is very important to share with a close person and seek help. As part of the ministry's campaign, signs of depression in men are shown and guidance for correct behavior when suicidal thoughts arise. The campaign emphasizes the importance of a direct question regarding suicide and explains how to ask questions on the subject.
Minister of Health, Uriel Bosso:
"The Ministry of Health puts the field of mental health and strengthening mental resilience at the top of the agenda and invests efforts and resources to address the issue. In Israel, approximately 500 cases of suicide are recognized each year, as well as approximately 6,000 cases of suicide attempts. It is possible and possible to reduce the number of cases and there is enormous importance in increasing awareness to the difficult phenomenon and the ways that will allow its reduction".
Director General of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman Tov:
"We as a community can influence the life of the individual, if we know what the signs are to which it is important that we be attentive, and if we know how to give a shoulder and a support to anyone who needs it. We invest a lot in the field of mental health and promote awareness that it is possible and important to ask for mental assistance and counseling."
Director of the Suicide Prevention Unit at the Ministry of Health, Yael Pomerantz:
"Each of us can prevent a case of suicide, locate, encourage and help people at risk of suicide who are around us. The campaign expresses our strength as a society to be sure of each other, to help people in need and invites everyone to join the national effort to prevent suicide cases."
80 percent of suicides are men
And there are no men's organizations, there are women's organizations and the social workers who continue to abuse men...