World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th, it has existesd since 2003. World Suicide Prevention Week surrounds the day starting Monday September 8th and ending September 14th.
According to the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) http://iasp.info the following 10 things are true about suicide:
1. Annually one million people commit suicide. That's tantamount to one death every 40 seconds.
2. The "number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined".
3. Suicide is in the top three leading causes of death for folks ages 15 - 44.
4. Some studies have attempted suicide numbers 10 to 20 times more than successful suicides.
5. In Europe and North America mental disorders (depression and alcohol use) are major factors.
6. In Asian countries impulsiveness plays a role.
7. The theme for 2014 is is "Suicide Prevention: One World Connected"
Studies have shown that social isolation can increase the risk of suicide and, conversely, that having strong human bonds can be protective against it.
8. One suggestion for awareness on Suicide Prevention Day is to light a candle at 8pm near a window for the survivors of suicide and the for memory of loved lost ones.
9. This year marks the release of the World Suicide Report (WSR) by the World Health Organization (WHO). The goal is to reduce suicides by 10% by 2020.
10. Robin Williams is but one of the statistics of this preventable disease.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.