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SL psychiatrists seriously alarmed over high local suicide rate
View(s):The Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists (SLCP) expressed concern over the alarmingly high rate of suicides in the country which is ranked among the highest in the world.
Almost 4,000 individualskill themselves per year, or about 11 per day, with the majority of them between 15 and 44 years.
Sri Lanka records an alarming 28.8 per cent suicide rate according to the first global report on suicides by the World Health Organisation. However, the rate has reduced during the last decade, the report indicates. SLCP highlighted the need to take measures to prevent suicides. While reducing access to means of suicide is encouraged, they also urged responsible reporting of suicides in the media, and early identification and treatment of mental disorders and substance abuse, as a means of effective suicide prevention methods.
Bullying has been recognised as a serious trigger for suicidal thoughts in youth, a group highly vulnerable to suicide. The SLCP also highlighted the need to take suicidal intent of both children, adolescent and the elderly seriously, to effectively prevent suicides within those groups.