Women commit twice as many suicide attempts as men and the highest number of cases is between the ages of 12 and 25, according to data provided yesterday by the coordinator of the suicide prevention plan in Catalonia (Plapresc), Diego Palau From 2020, the year of the covid pandemic, attempts to end one's life have grown to reach more than 2,000 per year; 15% of the cases were minors. However, the experts point out that there could be a change in trend because in the first half of the year, although consultations for ideation have increased, suicide attempts have decreased, and more markedly among women, and especially among the youngest (12-25 years).
"Overall, episodes have decreased by 3%; in women, 8%, and among the youngest, almost 10%; so we think that maybe we have already seen the peak of the curve, which started with the pandemic, and among the youngest 18-year-olds the moment is changing because there is no longer the social stress that caused the crisis and because attention to the mental health of the child and youth population has been strengthened", said Palao in a press conference.
Between January and June, more cases of suicidal ideation have been detected (9.7% more than in 2022), a figure that could indicate that it is being able to detect people with problems before they try to know bad "More and more cases are being detected, but less serious or the consultation is done at the beginning, when the idea is being conceived", assured Palao, who believes that it is too early to know if this is the result of the measures promoted through the prevention plan from 2021, such as the Suicide Prevention Table through the 061 Salut Respon service, or the changes to facilitate access to mental health services or the guides and protocols to break the taboo and address suicide in schools and other areas where the population at risk is concentrated.
The Minister of Health, Manel Balcells, acknowledged that the figures have a lot to improve, because last year there were 607 deaths by suicide in Catalonia, which means around 50 avoidable deaths per month. "Suicide is here and for the numbers to improve, we need to do things and put the focus on prevention and early detection," he said. In this way of doing things, the creation of the prevention observatory, the guides to address suicide in education, at the university, in prisons or in the group of supervised minors that they prepare with other departments of the Generalitat and the support program for survivors of a death by suicide (relatives, friends or those who witnessed it) which will start in November.
Palao explained that Justice will report suicide deaths to Health so that professionals from the mental health center in the area can contact their relatives and friends directly and offer them psychological help if they want.
As for the first year of operation of the Suicide Prevention Table through 061, up to August 27 they counted 12,094 consultations. In 7% they detected an imminent risk of suicide, and in 17%, a high risk, and activated ambulance services, while the rest were linked to health services. The majority of those who died by suicide were not receiving specialized treatment, and hence the importance of breaking the taboo and making services such as 061 known, so that if someone has the idea of ending their life they can call and get help professional and decisive immediately, emphasized Palao.
