Suicide rates have increased across most age groups, especially the young and the elderly, according to reports
Release date – Saturday, July 23 at 03:00pm
Singapore: The number of suicides in Singapore hit a record high in more than 20 years, Channel NewsAsia reported on Saturday, citing the Singapore Samaritan Organization (SOS).
A total of 476 people committed suicide last year.
Citing figures from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, SOS said in a release that suicides in 2022 will represent a “worrying 25.9 per cent increase” from the 378 reported in 2021.
According to SOS, family issues, employment and financial difficulties, and romantic relationships are the most common problems encountered by people who contact its services.
Increases in suicide rates have been reported for most age groups, especially youth and older adults.
For the fourth year in a row, it is the leading cause of death among teens ages 10 to 29 — about one-third of all deaths in this age group are suicides, CNA reported.
The suicide rate among people aged 70 to 79 will see the largest increase last year, at 60%, compared to 2021, CNA reported.
SOS said the top three issues older people seek help for are medical problems, family difficulties and loneliness.
Of the 476 people who committed suicide last year, 317 were men and the remaining 159 were women.
“Globally, more men die by suicide than women die by suicide.
Research suggests that there are several underlying factors that may contribute to the higher rates, including social expectations and mental health stigma,” added SOS.
