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Suicide is a significant national social issue in the United Kingdom; 6,045; 5,608 and 5,675 people aged 15 and over died by suicide in 2011, 2010 and 2009 respectively. The number of male suicides in 2011 was the highest since 2002. In January 2013, MPs expressed concern at this rise in the number of suicides.
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Governmental and other organisations have created different initiatives to attempt to prevent suicides in the country.
Dynamics
Researchers and sociologists have identified several causes for the high rate of suicide in the country; these include recent recessions, unemployment, austerity measures and loneliness. Research undertaken by The Samaritans suggested that mental-health issues of middle-aged men and loss of masculine pride and identity are also major factors behind the high rate of suicide.
Common methods
The most common method used in the United Kingdom is hanging. Other suicides reported often include self-poisoning. Suicide using firearms accounts for only a very small fraction, possibly due to tight gun control meaning very few households in the UK possess them (4 per cent). Self poisoning and overdosing are the common methods used by women.
Inhalation of domestic gas was the most common method of suicide during the mid-twentieth century. It was completely eliminated by the 1990s as a result of the replacement of coal gas containing toxic carbon monoxide by the non-poisonous natural gas. Later, suicide by inhalation of carbon monoxide from car exhausts became common, but has declined since the introduction of catalytic converters.
Statistics
In the United Kingdom 6,045; 5,608; and 5,675 people aged 15 and over committed suicide in 2011, 2010 and 2009 respectively. The increase in the rate of suicide between 2010 and 2011 was 11.1 to 11.8 incidents per 100,000 people.
Suicide prevention
The government of the United Kingdom and a number of international and national organizations have undertaken a variety of efforts and initiatives to prevent suicides. There are different associations that provide help and suggestions to suicidal people. Some notable organisations include Papyrus (a suicide prevention group founded in 1995 by a group of parents whose own children committed suicide), Maytree (a sanctuary for the suicidal), and U can cope.
In 2012, the United Kingdom government decided to spend £1.5 million to develop planning and strategies on preventing suicides. In January 2013, the social networking site Facebook started a partnership with suicide-prevention organisation "Save.org" to provide data that will be used to identify warning signs of people at risk of suicide.