Why has suicide become a forgotten subject that no one is talking about, how did it become taboo?If we want to solve a problem, the first step is to gather enough information about it, otherwise the solution we are creating will not be effective and the efforts will have been in vain.
Therefore, it is important to identify the risk factors associated with suicidal behavior, both individually and environmentally; it’s equally important to identify the protective factors that can help prevent or reduce it, making it easier to know what’s going on and what we can do. do about it.
- According to WHO.
- Suicide is one of the top 15 causes of death worldwide and is the leading cause of violent death.
It is a priority public health problem, as more than one million people commit suicide every year worldwide. These numbers have been increasing in recent years and are also estimated to continue to grow soon.
The impact this has on the quality of life of the population is not uncommon, mainly because of the psychological and social impact that falls on those closest to them, who are deeply affected emotionally, socially and economically.
Therefore, the study and identification of the factors associated with this behavior for the development of prevention and intervention programmes is perceived as increasingly important, being especially distinguishable when analyzing the causes of death in the adolescent population, with suicide being one of the most important. the three leading causes of death among 15- to 24-year-olds.
If you want to put preventive measures against suicide in place, the first thing you need to do is study the risk and protection factors, identify them can give us clues as to how and when to intervene, yet not all weight is based on them it also greatly influences what the patient is like, what situation in their life is in and what stressful events in life can trigger suicidal behaviors.
Mental disorders are considered one of the most important and widespread suicide risk factors, so special attention has been paid to this aspect in many studies that have been conducted over time on this subject, including bipolar disorder, depression and psychotic disorders (e. g. schizophrenia). For other risk factors, the following may be highlighted:
Despite the above, it should not be forgotten that there are also protective factors, which are defined as factors that decrease the likelihood of suicide, even if there are several risk factors. These protective factors include:
We can conclude that suicide is more than a set of individual factors. Therefore, a mental disorder does not cause suicide per se, the environment around it is also a big part of it.
Similarly, there are protective factors both personally and environmentally, it is always positive. The greater the protective factors in a person at some risk of developing suicidal behavior, the easier it will be to intervene or prevent this behavior in the person.
All of the above options pave the way for a reversal of the current trend, so a good option would be to design prevention programs for people who by their circumstances fit the profile, all without forgetting to reinforce the protective factors that already exist, however rare they may be.