World Suicide prevention Day
Message by IASP president on occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day
Each year as many as 1,000,000 people are estimated to die by suicide across the globe; many, many more make nonfatal attempts. The search for simple solutions to suicide prevention and intervention is problematic as suicide is an immensely complicated behavior, multifactorial caused and not subject to easy solution. We have so much to do and we have an imperative to mobilize supports and demobilize barriers to effectively make the difference we wish to make. We are not going to accomplish much if we apply simple solutions to complex problems. Today, Sept 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. This is but one day in the year where we all should be as active as possible to make the road ahead just a bit easier to travel and the targets of our efforts more achievable.
Lanny Berman, Ph.D.
President of IASP
Executive Director, American Association of Suicidology
Washington, DC
Nearly 3000 people on average commit suicide daily, according to WHO. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. About one million people die by suicide each year. Suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death which is influenced by psycho-social, cultural and environmental risk factors that can be prevented through worldwide responses that address these main risk factors. There is strong evidence indicating that adequate prevention can reduce suicide rates.
World Suicide Prevention Day, which first started in 2003, is annually held on September 10 each year as an IASP initiative. WHO co-sponsors this event. World Suicide Prevention Day aims to:
• Raise awareness that suicide is preventable.
• Improve education about suicide.
• Spread information about suicide awareness.
• Decrease stigmatization regarding suicide.
WHO and IASP work with governments and other partners to ensure that suicide is no longer stigmatized, criminalized or penalized. WHO's role is to build political action and leadership to develop national responses to prevent suicide, strengthen national planning capacity to establish the core building blocks of such a national response, and build the national capacities to implement these responses.
IASP, Aasra as part of the Berienders Worldwide network and several other agencies involved in suicide intervention and post-vention activities exists to decrease these staggering numbers and to make a difference in the lives of those at risk. By networking together with national and local suicide prevention organizations, researchers, volunteers, clinicians and professionals to share knowledge, experience, and skills, we hoe to provide support and foster collaborations to prevent suicide and alleviate its effects.
We have programs that will give a positive rush to this international effort. Aasra will be holding depression awareness events like walk-thrus, mobile poster exhibitions, distribute leaflets, posters, book marks in public places like malls, railway stations and bus depots through-out the week from 10th Sept to 17th Sept. We will also be conducting training courses in depression and suicide awareness
We greatly look forward to your esteemed support and wholehearted participation in this international effort on World Suicide Prevention Day. Thank you in advance for participating in that.
Suicide can be prevented and your involvement can make a huge difference!
Best regards,
Johnson Thomas
Director(AASRA)
Mob: 9820466726
Email: johnsont307@gmail.com,aasrahelpline@yahoo.com
www.aasra.info www.befriendersindia.org www.iasp.org www.samaritans.org
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