11 September 2023 at 4: 30 PUBLISHED
According to a report by the Department of Mental Health( DMH ), the rate of suicide among Thais has increased over the past few years, with 4, 800 people taking their own lives last year.
Many public health professionals, including employees of the DMH and the National Health Security Office( NHSO ), joined forces to assist with suicide prevention in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day yesterday.
Every year on September 10, the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declares World Suicide Prevention Day, or WSPD, to be a global commitment and action to prevent suicides.
The WHO reported that at least one million people worldwide commit murder annually, or one person every 40 hours, which gave rise to the concept for WSPD.
People today have a three-fold higher chance of committing suicide than people, making it one of the leading 10 causes of death worldwide.
According to DMH Deputy Director – General Dr Sirisak Thitidilokrat, death and mental health are also significant issues in Thailand, with the death toll continuing to rise.
The murder rate, which was the highest in the previous five years, was 6.3 per 100,000 people in 2018, 6.32 in 2019, 6.66 in 2020, 7.38 in 2021, and 7.97 in 2030, according to the DMH.
50 % of deaths were attributed to relationship troubles as the main cause. According to him, alcohol and economic problems were also listed as motives, while health and mental illnesses were blamed for 20 % to 30 % of the deaths.
Additionally, working-age people( 20 – 59 ) saw the 3, 585 deaths in their group in 2021 increase to 3, 650 by 2022, adding to the toll. The WHO estimates that death has an impact on both economic systems and the lives of 5 – 10 million additional people.
Jadet Thammathataree, the secretary-general of the NHSO, suggested that those who were deemed to be suicide dangers should undergo routine evaluations under the universal health care, or” gold bill,” program.
Visit the DMH’s mental health line at 1323 if you’re thinking about killing yourself.
The line received 11, 769 calling from people of working time last year, according to DMH.