Comment On Scotland’s Mental Health Crisis

SCOTLAND’S MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CLAIMS ALMOST 800 LIVES IN 2018

Commenting on new figures showing a rise in the number of suicides in Scotland in 2018, Monica said:

“Scotland’s mental health crisis is claiming the lives of almost 800 people every single year.

“Around 100 young people under the age of 25 died by suicide last year, with the total number of young men ending their lives through these circumstances rising for the fourth consecutive year.

“In August, the government promised to reduce the suicide rate by 20 per cent by 2020. But these figures show things are getting worse, not better.

“Suicide is preventable and we need action from the Scottish Government to give our mental health services the resources they need to stop this tragic loss of life.”

 

• There were 784 probable suicides registered in Scotland in 2018, 104 (15 per cent) more than in the previous year.

• Roughly three-quarters of all probable suicides are men: 74% in 2018 and between 70% and 77% in every year from 1986.

• In 2018, using the figures on the basis of the new coding rules, the 45-49 year old age-group had the largest number of probable suicides (94, or 12 per cent), followed by 50-54 year olds (86 or 11 per cent), people aged 35-39 (81, or 10 per cent).

• 101 people aged under 25 died by suicide in 2018 – 5 of these were aged 10-14. (In 2017 there were 71 total and 7 aged 10-14.)

• In 2018, the numbers of suicide in young males aged 15-24 increased for the fourth consecutive year.