The number of deaths by suicide in Europe decreased by 13% in a decade

The number of deaths by suicide is falling in the EU.

In 2021, there were about 47,000 deaths due to suicide across the 27-country bloc, down 13.3% from 2011, when the data first started being recorded.

This is the equivalent of an average of 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

"Even one suicide is one too many. So the fact that we have had a decrease of the suicide rate by 13% in the EU and of course a slower decrease on suicide in the rest of the world, however, means one thing and one thing only: that we should not celebrate, but we should take the lessons," Dr Ledia Lazëri, Regional Adviser on Mental Health Flagship at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, told Euronews.

Slovenia registered the EU's highest rate of suicide in 2021 with 19.8 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants. It is followed by Lithuania and Hungary.

At the opposite end of the scale, Cyprus recorded the lowest standardised death rates for suicide with 2.7 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants. It is ahead of Greece and Italy.

The suicide rate remains higher among men than women, with men accounting for over three-quarters of all deaths by suicide.

The highest number of suicide deaths in the EU was recorded in the 45 to 64 age group, with 17,441 deaths, accounting for 37% of the total, according to Eurostat.

Suicide prevention

Despite this success in curbing suicides, treatment gaps for mental health conditions in Europe remain high, Dr. Ledia Lazëri said, calling for stakeholders beyond health professionals to be involved in suicide prevention.

"We need also a stronger collaboration with, for instance, police. We need a stronger collaboration with justice and prisons because a good number of suicides are taking place in institutions like prisons, for instance. And we need a good collaboration with schools. We need a good collaboration with the workplace," Dr. Ledia Lazëri said.

The World Health Organization published LIVE LIFE, an implementation guide for suicide prevention in countries, in 2021, outlining several strategies that have been proven effective to prevent suicides.

The first one is limiting access to the means of completing suicide, such as guns, pesticides or certain points of bridges; the second is to collaborate with the media for responsible reporting of suicide; another is to help the population with socio-emotional skills; and last but not least, the fourth and final strategy is early identification of suicidal behaviours.

Breaking the stigma

"There are some countries that have a perception that suicide has increased. I would argue that instead of having an increase in suicide, we have a better reporting of suicide because of less stigma," Dr Ledia Lazëri said.

Yet, in many cultures, "the stigma around suicide is still very, very high", she added.

The WHO regional adviser also wants to debunk the myth among healthcare professionals that if you talk about suicide with someone, you will instigate suicide ideas in that person.

"Never be shy of talking about suicide with a person that you think is contemplating committing suicide," Dr Ledia Lazëri said. "In that way, you gain time and you are probably saving a life just because you are talking about their biggest challenge and you're giving them a chance to take it out of themselves."