“매일 3천명, 매년 100만명 자살”< WHO >

출처 : 연합뉴스  2009/09/10 09:23 
http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/international/2009/09/10/0606000000AKR20090910046000009.HTML?template=2087

(제네바 dpa=연합뉴스) 전 세계에서 매일 스스로 목숨을 끊는 사람이 3천 명에 달하며 자살을 시도한 사람 20명 중 1명은 미수에 그치는 것으로 나타났다.

   10일 ‘자살방지의 날’을 하루 앞두고 세계보건기구(WHO)가 발표한 통계에 따르면 또 지난 50년간 전 세계 자살률은 60% 증가했고 매년 100만 명이 스스로 목숨을 끊었다.

   지리학적으로는 동유럽과 러시아에서 자살률이 높았지만 자살자 수는 중국, 인도, 일본 등 아시아가 가장 높았다.

   알렉산드라 플라이쉬만 WHO 전문가는 유럽과 북미에서는 정신질환으로 인한 자살이 90%로 압도적이었으나, 아시아는 충동적인 결정으로 목숨을 끊는 경우가 많았다고 전했다.

   WHO는 그러나 가족과 친구들의 도움이 있다면 자살률을 줄일 수 있다고 강조했다.

   플라이쉬만은 자살을 막기 위한 핵심은 우선 사람들이 심각한 우울증, 스트레스, 자신 또는 타인에 대한 학대 등 자살을 유도하는 초기 단계를 인지하는 일이라고 설명했다.

   그는 이 같은 증상을 겪는 사람들은 흔히 “나 없이도 다른 사람들은 잘살아갈 것”, “세상은 살 가치가 없다” 등의 말을 하곤 한다면서, 주변인들은 무시하고 지나치기 쉬운 이런 류의 언급들을 예의주시해야 할 것이라고 말했다.

   또 일부 문화권에선 정신질환이 쉽게 인지되기 어려울 때도 있지만 일단 문제가 발견되면 주변 사람의 관심과 도움이 절실하다며 자살은 친구와 가족, 의사가 모두 주의 깊게 관찰해야 할 “복합적 현상”이라고 조언했다.

   WHO는 정부와 국제자살방지협회(IASP) 등이 협력해 더 이상 자살을 비난받을 행위나 범죄, 또는 처벌받아야 할 일로 간주하지 않도록 사람들의 인식을 전환해나가야 한다고 당부했다.

   eun@yna.co.kr

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2008년 스코틀랜드 자살자수 843명 (교통사고 사망자수보다 많음)

Campaign highlights suicide rate

출처 : BBC Page last updated at 07:16 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 08:16 UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8240805.stm

Suicide Prevention Week is being launched in Scotland with a stark reminder that two people take their own lives everyday.

In 2008, 843 people in Scotland died by suicide – more than the number killed in road traffic accidents.

The message behind the week-long campaign is: “Suicide. Don’t hide it. Talk about it.”

Radio and press adverts are being used to raise awareness of both the issue and the help available to people.

The campaign is being organised by Choose Life, Scotland’s national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide.

The core aim of the campaign is tackling the stigma around talking about suicide, to stress that it is okay to talk about feeling suicidal, and to reassure people that talking can save lives.

Shona Robison, minister for public health, said: “Suicide is a complex issue – there is no single reason why someone takes their own life.

“What we can say unequivocally is that every death from suicide is a tragedy.

“It is important to realise that suicide affects everyone – regardless of gender, age or ethnic background – but we know that certain groups of people are at higher risk of suicide.

“These include people living in more deprived areas, people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and people with mental health problems.”

Ms Robison added: “Suicide Prevention Week is a great opportunity to reflect on the devastation suicide causes to families and to remember that we can all make a difference simply by offering a willingness to talk and listen to people in distress.”

Almost three-quarters of suicides in Scotland are by men, and young people are particularly vulnerable.

As a result the campaign aims to reach young men, who traditionally find it less easy to talk about their mood or any difficulties they may be facing.

Dougie Paterson, programme manager for Choose Life, said: “Many people feel that they can’t talk about feeling suicidal, or that by asking someone else if they are feeling suicidal this will increase the risk. But the opposite is true.”

He added: “Lifting the lid on our emotions can help prevent everyday problems building up that may overwhelm us – ultimately, talking can save lives.”

Since the launch of the Choose Life strategy and action plan in 2002 Scotland’s suicide rate has decreased by 10%.

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세계자살방지의 날을 맞아 인도의 the National Crime Records Bureau가 발표한 통계자료

인도의 1997~2007 자살율 28% 증가
1997년 인도의 자살자수 :  95,829명
2007년 인도의 자살자수  :  1,22,637


World Suicide Prevention Day tomorrow

The trend of committing suicides is growing in the country with the latest figures showing a 28 per cent jump during the decade 1997-2007.

In the year 1997, the number of persons who committed suicide was 95,829 and by the year 2007  the total number of persons committing suicide was over a lakh(1,22,637), according to figures available with the National Crime Records Bureau.

Thursday, Sept 10,  is observed as the World Suicide Prevention Day organized by the International Association of Suicide Prevention(IASP) in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The theme of the World Suicide Prevention Day is “Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures”.

“More than a million people worldwide die by suicide each year. More people kill themselves  than die in all wars, terrorist activities and homicides. Many millions more make suicide attempt severe enough to need medical treatment, and over six million people are affected each year by the disastrous impact of the suicide of a close one friend or family member,” says President IASP Brian Mishara.

The day will be launched at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday where Mishara and WHO representatives will announce latest figures on suicide worldwide and suicide prevention activities.

According to WHO suicide is now being recognized in the countries of south east asia as major public health problem in the complex scenario of development and lifestyle changes. “Cumulative research ,media reports  and anecdoatal evidence over the past three decades reveal that suicides are an emerging epidemic the world over.”

India and Sri Lanka record the highest number of suicide rates in the region with 11 and 37 per 100,000 population respectively.

WHO says the threat of suicide should be taken seriously  because  those who commit suicide give early clues at some point . In India nearly 10 to 20 per cent of suicide victims  had seen a physician a few days prior to the act.

Psychological Counsellor Neera Jain says, “Disintegration of the joint family has removed the support system for the individual at times of emotional and psychological crisis.”

“Unrealistic expectations put tremendous emotional, physical and psychological pressure on the individual. Suicide is not committed at the spur of the moment but is the culmination of long period of stress when a single act may  trigger the person to take the final step. If a friend or some other person can reach out to him the moment is averted and the individual can be saved,”she adds.

According to NCRB , five states West Bengal followed by   Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka registered consistently higher number of suicidal deaths during the last few years and accounted for 10 per cent or more of the total suicides reported  in the country during 2005-2007.

Poducherry reported the highest rate of suicide (48.6) followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (38.5) while the all India rate of suicides was 10.8 in 2007 compared to 10.5 during 2006.

Family problems  and illness were two of the major causes for suicides accounting for more than 22 per cent of the suicides during the years 2005-2007, and the most  preferred mode adopted in committing suicide was poisoning 35 per cent of cases followed by hanging 32 per cent of cases.

The WHO has suggested development of national suicide prevention strategies alongwith early implementation and evaluation.

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