Blitz Bureau
INDIA, which has one of the highest number of suicide deaths, must focus beyond mental health to prevent suicide cases in the country, according to a new study published in The Lancet on World Suicide Prevention Day, on September 9.
Over 170,000 lives lost annually due to suicide in India, it said. Suicide is a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths each year globally.
World Suicide Prevention Day is observed every year on September 10 to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encourage open conversations to prevent suicides. The theme this year is “Changing the narrative on suicide”.
In line with the theme, a new six paper series published in The Lancet Public Health, says that a change in the narrative is needed to move from presenting suicide as a purely mental health issue to acknowledging the impact of social risk factors.
The series highlights how clinical treatment services are critical for people in a suicidal crisis, but upstream measures that address social factors must also be included in national suicide prevention strategies to prevent people from reaching crisis points.
