World Suicide Prevention Day takes place on September 10th every year to raise global awareness and encourage worldwide commitment to preventing suicide.
Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Nearly 700,000 people die by suicide each year. Most suicides occur in the presence of mental disorders such as depression and psychosis, and substance misuse, which are the most relevant risk factors.
The COVID-19 crisis has enhanced these risk factors for suicides, such as social isolation, changing work structures, increase in anxiety and stress, and decreased access to healthcare services. The prolonged pandemic continues to remind us that mental health is deeply interconnected with a range of social determinants – how we live, work, and interact with one another.
The EU-funded project group “Mental Health Promotion and Intervention in Occupational Settings (MENTUPP)” has focused on addressing some of such factors by promoting mental health in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, which comprise more than 90% of all EU businesses. MENTUPP project joins forces from experts across sectors to deliver interdisciplinary interventions that effectively improve the early recognition and treatment of depression, anxiety, and stress in the workplace and reduce suicidal behaviour.
With World Suicide Prevention Day approaching, the MENTUPP consortium encourages organizations and all to share information and experiences that can help further understanding around suicide and preventing suicidal behaviour so that we can better care for those who are affected by suicide. Together, we can ‘create hope through action’.
For more information on World Suicide Prevention Day and suicide prevention, please visit the following websites:
World Suicide Prevention Day – International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)