IASP Creates Official World Suicide Prevention Day Facebook Event Page

Online, September 8, 2013 (Newswire.com) - The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) co-sponsor World Suicide Prevention Day every year on September 10th. The theme of this year's event is "Stigma: A Major Barrier to Suicide Prevention."

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Approximately one million people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. The number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined. These staggering figures do not include suicide attempts which may be up to 20 times the number of deaths by suicide.

According to the WHO and the latest Burden of Disease Estimation, suicide is a major public health problem in high-income countries and is an emerging problem in low- and middle-income countries. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world, especially among young people.
A significant number of those with mental illnesses who die by suicide do not contact health or social services near the time of their death. In many instances there are insufficient services available to assist those in need at times of crisis. This lack of access to appropriate care is one of the many factors that magnify the stigma associated with mental illness and with suicidal ideation and behaviour.

Despite the difficulty and complexity of fighting stigma, persons, organizations and governments committed to the dual goals of improving the quality of life of individuals suffering from mental illnesses and suicidal ideation and of reducing the huge burden of suicide on families and communities don't have an option. Unless stigma is confronted and challenged, it will continue to be a major barrier to the treatment of mental illnesses and to the prevention of suicide. World Suicide Prevention Day provides a special opportunity to refocus our collective energies on addressing this fundamental problem.
Suicide is a multi-determined phenomenon that occurs against a background of complex interacting biological, social, psychological and environmental risk and protective factors. However, despite the complexity of this phenomenon, suicide can be prevented.

The IASP has created a World Suicide Prevention Day Facebook Event page that will enable Facebook users the opportunity to show their support for World Suicide Prevention Day and to remember loved ones lost to suicide.

In addition, the IASP is also encouraging people to light a candle near a window at 8pm in support of World Suicide Prevention Day, to remember a loved one lost to suicide and for the survivors of suicide. IASP is also encouraging people who light a candle to post a video or photo on the Facebook Event Page which can be found at: http://goo.gl/8mpVVC.

Established in Vienna, in 1960, by the late Professor Erwin Ringel, IASP is the key Non-Government Organization in official relations with the World Health Organization in addressing suicide. IASP has brought global attention to the unacceptable loss of approximately 1 million people each year worldwide who die by suicide.

IASP is a unique multidisciplinary organization with its membership coming from 50 countries, primarily from the mental health professions, but with additional members from such disciplines as sociology, social work, anthropology, medicine, public health, education, corrections, probation, coroners/medical examiners, pathology and philosophy.

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