The 11 countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016 are a stark reminder that the problem of suicide is only increasing, and efforts to curb it have been unsuccessful. For a person to consider suicide means that every other option has failed. They have tried other methods of improving their lives and yet, have met with resounding failure. For such a person, the saying that there is a light at the end of the tunnel is nothing more than false hope. There is no escape or exit. The only way to deal with the problems is to end your life.
There are a variety of reasons that may lead to a person feeling this way. If a person is young, bullying can be a major cause for concern in this regard. After all, for a child, there are few things worse than getting constantly humiliated in front of your peers. On the other hand, a broken family may also lead to suicidal thoughts, where children are unable to handle bickering and fighting parents who are so lost in their own lives, they forget to give a proper one to their children. If you want to learn more about youth suicides, you might want to check out the 10 Countries With the Highest Youth Suicide Rates in the World.
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For people in their late 20s and 30s, the problems may be of a different nature. Financial issues are some of the foremost difficulties that can take their toll on the mind of a person, and you are more likely to see a man suffering from debt committing suicide as compared to someone financially well off.
However, the biggest reason people commit suicide is because of mental illness, usually depression. Unfortunately, despite the advancements made in the detection and cure of mental illnesses, they still remain a stigma and are generally associated with a weak mind. This mindset has led to many people simply hiding their illness instead of actively seeking treatment and this leads to their illness progressing until they are no longer of sound mind. If we encourage people to seek treatment immediately rather than hiding their depression, that could be the most effective tool in fighting suicides.
We used the World Health Organization’s website to discover the 11 countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016. We selected all the countries for which the relevant information was available, after which we selected all the methods of intentional self-harm present in the database. We then determined the populations of the countries to figure out the suicide rate for each country. While the United States has the most suicides in the world with over 42,000 suicides annually, it doesn’t feature on our list since its suicide rate is still comparatively low, due to its large population.
11. The Republic of Moldova
Suicide rate: 163.25 per 1,000,000 people
While typical issues such as financial problems and depression exist in Moldova as well, homosexuality is another reason for suicide, though Moldova has started becoming more accepting of differing sexual orientations.
10. Croatia
Suicide rate: 169.76 per 1,000,000 people
In Croatia, suicide awareness programs are being launched in order to combat the startling suicide rate in the country, with one of the primary victims of suicide being the 1990s war veterans.
9. Uruguay
Suicide rate: 176.4 per 1,000,000 people
Appearing on the list of 11 countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016, poverty is one of the primary reasons behind suicides in the country, which has the highest suicide rate in Latin America. Suicide is more popular in the interior or the rural areas of the country as compared to the urban areas.
8. Estonia
Suicide rate: 181.89 per 1,000,000 people
You might be surprised to find Estonia on this list of countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016, considering that it has excellent amenities for its citizens, but the truth is often strange. The good news is that youth suicide rates are decreasing in the country.
7. Kazakhstan
Suicide rate: 183.27 per 1,000,000 people
In Kazakhstan, next on our list of countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016, a high suicide rate is prevalent among the youth, where 86 teens committed suicide in just a 5-month span in 2015.
6. Latvia
Suicide rate: 189.77 per 1,000,000 people
Unemployment has resulted in many suicides in the country, as evidenced by this article, where a man kills himself after failing to find work.
5. Japan
Suicide rate: 192.08 per 1,000,000 people
Japan’s belief in honor is so strong, often a person who believes he has brought dishonor on himself or his family will commit suicide, which is part of the reason why suicide rates are so high in the country.
4. Hungary
Suicide rate: 194.71 per 1,000,000 people
The prevalence of poverty in the country, next on our list of countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016 has led to depression, which in turn has contributed to a high suicide rate.
3. Suriname
Suicide rate: 241.06 per 1,000,000 people
Suriname had only 130 suicide in 2014, but with a population of slightly over 500,000 people, that number is extremely worrying as well.
2. Guyana
Suicide rate: 281.61 per 1,000,000 people
Guyana had the highest suicide rate in the world and has only now fallen second, though the government is making efforts to increase suicide prevention awareness in the nation.
1. Lithuania
Suicide rate: 314.61 per 1,000,000 people
The suicide capital of Europe takes the top spot in our list of 11 countries with the highest suicide rates in the world in 2016, and the most surprising part is that even now, no one is particularly sure why this happens.
