September 10 of this year is the seventh World Suicide Prevention Day.

Globally, suicide is one of the top ten causes of human death and one of the top three causes of youth death under 25. About 1 million people commit suicide each year and millions of people attempt suicide. Now, the global death toll of suicide has been far more than deaths from war and murder combined, and annual economic losses caused by suicidal behavior come up to several billion dollars. Moreover, suicidal behavior brings a huge long-term psychological trauma not only to the parties concerned but also to their family and friends. Thus, since 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention holds World Suicide Prevention Day activities on September 10 each year around the world with the aim of spreading knowledge of suicide prevention, reducing social discrimination, making the public aware that suicides are preventable and preventing suicide by assembling social forces through dissemination of publicity and education activities. This year's theme is "Socio-cultural Factors and Prevention of Suicide."

China is a country with a high suicide rate. According to a survey conducted by Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Clinical Epidemiology Research Office of Hui Long Guan Hospital in 2000, China's suicide rate stands at 22.23/10 million people. Suicide has become China's fifth largest cause of death; around 250,000 people commit suicide annually, and about 2 million people attempt suicide each year. Suicide has become the first cause of death for young people in China aging from 15 to 34.

There are biological, psychological, social, cultural, economic and environmental factors which affect suicidal behavior. People in social and economic disadvantage have a high risk of suicide. The unfortunate experience in childhood and psychological trauma such as abuse, bereavement, etc.; a variety of stress in adult life, such as stress in work, interpersonal stress, for example, marital conflicts, parent-child conflicts, economic pressure, the sharp decline in social status, etc., all of the above will increase the suicide risk. Serious mental diseases, such as the common depression tristimania, alcohol and medication abuse or addiction, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia, are all related with the increase of suicide risk. Our research shows that 63% of those who commit suicide and about 40% of those who attempt suicide suffer from mental disorders. Individuals’ cultural background, beliefs, outlook on life and their values as well as their health status will affect their decision whether to take suicidal behavior in the event of adversity. Convenience of environmental suicide tools will also affect whether a person commits suicide.

Will such knowledge of suicide risk factors help prevent people from targeted suicidal behavior? The answer is positive. Enhancing social harmony and cohesion can reduce suicide; Restricting the convenience to get a suicide tool (such as pesticide production, sales, use and storage areas to implement effective management) can also reduce suicide; responsible coverage of suicides by the media can prevent possible suicides; suicide can also be curbed when community training, school faculty, medical personnel and psychological professionals learn to identify those at risk of suicide, and encourage suicidal people to seek help through health promotion education, and dissemination of practical self-decompression technology, so as to promptly resolve contradictions of various kinds, particularly interpersonal conflicts. Providing people with physical and mental illness with high-quality medical care and psychological services, and offering psycho-social support to relatives and friends of those who commit suicide, can also prevent suicide occurrences.

Beijing Psychological Crisis Research and Intervention Center is located in Hui Long Guan Hospital, providing online psychological consultation service, supporting activities to family and friends of those who have committed suicide, as well as outpatient and inpatient services. 24-hour toll-free Psychological Crisis Intervention Hotline: 8008101117.