More people die from suicide annually than from violent acts – UN

(September 11, 2009) Around 1 million people die of suicide every year, more than by any other type of violence, including armed conflict, an official from the United Nations health agency noted on Thursday, stressing the need for greater efforts to tackle this preventable cause of death. Speaking on the occasion of September 10^th World Suicide Prevention Day, Werner Obermeyer from the World Health Organization (WHO) said numerous events were being held around the globe to focus public attention on this one single fact – that suicide is preventable. According to WHO, an average of almost 3,000 people commit suicide every day, and for every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. Addressing a news conference in New York, Obermeyer said that suicide was the tenth largest cause of death globally. Also, 90 per cent of suicides are related to mental disorders, including depression, and substance abuse. With the sponsoring International Association for Suicide Prevention, WHO and other partners advocate for the prevention, treatment and follow-up care of suicidal behaviour. The theme of this year’s Suicide Prevention Day was prevention of suicide in different cultures.