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One Person Commits Suicide
Every Hour in SA
By Bhavna Sookha, IOL News
South Africa
May 30, 2005
Every hour in South Africa, one person commits suicide and the numbers continue to rise with more than 20 to 40 attempts per hour.
These are just some of the shocking statistics published in a paper by Professor Lourens Schlebusch, of the Department of Behavioural Medicine at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine.
According to Schlebusch, those diagnosed with HIV and Aids were 36 times more likely to have suicidal behaviour compared to the general population.
"Globally an increase has been observed in suicide rates from about 10 per 100 000 to 16 per 100 000 of the population between 1950 and 1995 - almost a 60 percent increase in 45 years," he said.
"During the 45 years, the highest fatal suicide rates have moved from the elderly towards younger people in that 57 percent of suicides are committed by people in the 35 to 44 year age group, for both males and females."
More recent statistics from the South African National Injury Mortality Surveillance System show that in the last few years suicide accounted for about 8 to 10 percent of all non-natural deaths in South Africa.
It also showed that between 10 to 12 percent of all patients referred to general hospitals for psychological or psychiatric help was because of non-fatal suicides.
Reasons for suicide could be attributed to a range of problems, but in children problems involving feelings of loss of support because of family change caused by parental separation, incest, divorce and adverse parent-child interactions are common reasons for suicidal behaviour.
Other common reasons for suicidal behaviour includes interpersonal, marital, partner-related problems, family problems, financial problems, stress, academic problems at school or university, mental illness, personality disorders, a history of sexual abuse, prior suicidal behaviour and substance abuse, especially alcohol abuse.
"Studies have also indicated a high incidence of depression in suicidal school children," said Schlebusch.
"These findings are of increasing concern, especially in view of national and international research predictions, which show that stress and mood disorders are two of the greatest maladies of our time and are likely to become worse."
In South Africa, hanging is the most frequently used method of suicide, closely followed by shooting, poisoning, overdosing, gassing and burning.
Schlebusch said that suicidal behaviour was a highly complex phenomenon that could not be attributed to a single cause, as it involved intricate interactions between psychological, social, cultural and biological variables.
"As such it is a process. Given this, not only mental health experts, but also the family practitioner and primary health care workers who usually have ongoing contact with patients, can play a critical role in the prevention and management of this problem."
He said prevention rather than cure remained the best hope for combating suicidal behaviour.
"It can be highly effective in reducing suicide rates. Preventative measures like early and effective diagnosis and treatment of individuals with stress-related problems are cost effective and can be integrated into primary health care programmes."
Schlebusch said that using schools, universities and families as first levels of intervention was important and these were the obvious targets for identifying and preventing suicidal behaviour, especially among youngsters who needed help in developing crisis-resolution techniques.
If you feel suicidal or depressed, and believe you have nowhere to turn, please call any one of the following numbers for counselling and advice:
· South African Depression and Anxiety Group:
0800-567-567 (toll-free)
or 011-783-1474
· Lifeline:
011-728-1347 Johannesburg
011-433-3555 Alexandra
011-988-0155 Soweto
· South African Federation of Mental Health:
011-339-2621 Johannesburg
012-332-3927 Pretoria
· Childline:
011-484-1070
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