in the world every 20 seconds, one person ends in themselves, but every 2 seconds someone unsuccessfully tries to bring scores of lives. The number of suicides exceeded the number of victims of homicides and wars combined. However, ironically, the economic crisis is not traditionally leads to an increase, but to reduce the number of suicides – in times of economic scrape and wars, people are less inclined to part with life on his own initiative, writes Washington Profile .

International statistics quoted in the book International Directory of suicide and attempted suicide (The International Handbook of Suicide & Attempted Suicide, 2007) shows that between 2% and 11% of the population in different periods life tend to commit suicide. The number of suicides committed in the world, is steadily growing – can be seen from the data the International Association of Suicide prevention (International Association for Suicide Prevention), which carries out such calculations since the 1950's.

Facts and speculation on suicide

Suicide is usually committed out of desperation, to protest, to maintain self-esteem, as a result of obscuration of reason, to avoid pain or to take revenge. Risk factors are poverty, unemployment, loss of loved ones and the problems in family relationships.

People at home have been a suicide, tend more often end with him. An important role is also played by the moral and physical injuries in childhood. The negative impact of social isolation also have rights and mental health problems, particularly depression.

However, in many cases the reasons for suicide remain unclear. For inexplicable reasons, men 4 times more likely than women, with a finish, but the women are 2-3 times more likely to have attempted suicide (exact figures are not available, but to consider that for every successful suicide, accounts for 8-20 unsuccessful attempts of his commit – approx. Ed .).

Polls conducted in various countries around the world indicate that up to 80% of teenagers regularly think about that suicide. However, the largest number of suicides committed people of retirement age, who typically have not recognized the availability of such intentions.

According to many studies, people with different sexual orientation are 2-3 times more likely than their peers traditionally oriented voluntarily withdrawing from life.

estimated to American fund suicide prevention (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), the largest number of suicide attempts for some reason takes place in April, June and July. In some parts of the world and over 1970-1980's in the United States there were bursts of suicides during the holidays.

Data World Health Organization (WHO) show that, despite the fact that most suicides occur in the economically and socially disadvantaged countries, there are factors indicating that there are exceptions to this rule. For example, many poor countries of Latin America and the Middle East, suicide rate is significantly lower than in the rich countries of Western Europe.

However, it is considered good in economic terms, the Baltic countries, as well as in Finland and Hungary, the suicide rate has long been much higher than pan-European norm. Another paradox is the incredibly high level of suicide in the island nations (Cuba, Japan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, etc.).

more religious country, the lower its suicide

There is also a correlation between religion and suicide. In predominantly Islamic countries suicide rates close to zero (0.1 cases per 100 thousand population). In states where the majority of the population professes Christianity and Hinduism, this level is significantly higher – in Christian countries 11.2 cases per 100 thousand people in India, respectively, 9.6. In predominantly Buddhist countries this figure is even higher – 17.6 suicides per 100 thousand. In atheistic countries (eg China), it reaches 25.6 per 100 thousand inhabitants.

is noteworthy that among Christians and Buddhists, the number of male suicides in 3,5 times exceeds the number of suicides of women, and among Muslims and Hindus, the gap is 3 times less. However, religious preferences are not absolute criteria: in Catholic Ireland suicide rate is three times more than in Catholic Italy, but in the predominantly Protestant British – twice more than in the former British colony of Australia (all of which are comparable to standard of living and other social indicators).

Research Service Gallup data and WHO have concluded that the more religious country – the less it committed suicide (all were evaluated by 67 nations of the world). For example, most religious people of Kuwait (the rating of religiosity was 83 points), it occurs annually 1.95 suicide per 100 thousand inhabitants – is a record low.

However, this dependence is not absolute. For example, a rating of religiosity Mauritania ranked second (81 points), but it occurs far more suicides – 8.15 per 100 thousand inhabitants. In third place on the level of religiosity – Philippines (79 points), but the suicide rate is much lower than that of Mauritania – 2,10.

the U.S. rating of religiosity was 61 points (25 seats). This is the same religion Mexicans, but in Mexico by 100 thousand inhabitants of 4 committed suicide, while in the U.S. – 11,5.