SINGAPORE, Aug 4 – There were a total of 400 suicides reported in Singapore in 2019, up from 397 the year before, according to Samaritans of Singapore (SOS).
SOS is an organisation dedicated to providing confidential emotional support to individuals facing a crisis, as well as those thinking about or affected by suicide.
The organisation said most age groups registered a slight increase in the number of suicide deaths last year.
“Deaths as a result of suicide dropped to 8.00 per 100,000 Singapore residents from 8.36 in 2018,” it said in its website.
SOS said suicide remains the leading cause of death for youths aged 10 to 29.
Notably, the number of suicide deaths is highest amongst those aged 20 to 29 years compared to all other age groups.
“In 2019, 71 youths aged between 20 and 29 years took their own lives. Suicide accounts for about one-third of all reported deaths in this age group,” it said.
Of those who revealed their age, SOS said youths between 20 to 29 years old accounted for approximately 17 per cent of total calls attended to on the 24-hour Hotline, and making up for about 37 per cent of Email Befriending clients.
In particular, the number of calls from this age group rose to 4,124, up from 3,396 calls in the previous fiscal year ending March 2019.
Through interactions with clients, SOS said it is observed that these individuals often cite issues with romantic relationships, difficulties coping with one’s mental health and struggles managing challenging situations as contributing factors that led to their acute distress.
— BERNAMA