15 to 35 people commit suicides every day in Pakistan

Islamabad : According to media reports, in Pakistan 15 to 35 people end their lives every day. However, due to the sensitive nature of suicide and the social, religious, cultural and legal taboos and stigmas associated with suicide, cases of suicide and suicidal behaviour go underreported, which is why calculating the true magnitude of the problem is difficult.

10th October marks as the World Mental Health day, celebrated globally in over 150 countries, to increase mental health awareness, education, and advocacy against social stigmas. This year’s theme of World Mental Health day was “Suicide Prevention”.

According to the World Health Organization, every year close to 800,000 people take their own life, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death globally and second amongst individuals ages 15 to 29 years. Nonetheless, every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and the country, and leads to lasting effects on the people left behind.

The World Mental Health day was celebrated across Pakistan with multiple awareness activities. One such activity was held by Rozan who hosting a ‘candlelight vigil and walk’ in Bahria Enclaves Islamabad, with over 400 attendees from residents of Bahria Enclave and peripheral communities. The event included speeches, one-minute silence for the families and individuals who lost their loved ones due to suicide, lighting up candles, and a 15-minute walk.

The objective of holding this event was to raise awareness on the scale of suicide in Pakistan, educate the society and individuals on their role in suicide prevention and to inform individuals about the high-quality, free telephonic counselling services help available at Rozan through its free counselling helpline (toll free # 0800 – 22244, mobile # 0335-5000401 -02 -03).

The attendees were also urged to play their role in ending the stigma attached with seeking psychological help in their circle of influence at least.