Every year, people around the world come together on 10 September to raise awareness of suicide prevention and how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide.
At any one time, around 1 in 25 people are contemplating suicide. On average, two people go on to take their own life every day in Scotland. These aren’t just statistics. It’s someone’s family, their friends, and their work colleagues. Up to 135 people can be affected in some way by every suicide.
In Scotland, men are almost three times as likely to die by suicide than women, but female suicide rate has increased since 2017. In addition, people living in Scotland’s most deprived areas remain more than three times more likely to die by suicide than those living in the least deprived areas.
We believe that having positive conversations about mental health is a key step in suicide prevention. These conversations can help raise awareness, build understanding, and remind people that they’re not alone.
If you’re worried that someone is having suicidal thoughts, ask them. You could save a life. We know that talking to a loved one about suicide may feel daunting – the Art of Conversation booklet at the bottom of this page provides a helpful guide for how to have these conversations.
Get help now
If you’re in a crisis now, please click the link below for resources. If you or someone’s life is at risk, call 999 for an emergency response.
You can find the Scottish statistics on suicide on the ScotPHO (Public Health Information for Scotland) website.