Walk as part of suicide prevention campaign

Removing from invisibility a drama that saw an increase of 7% in Brazil, contrary to the global trend of a 9.8% drop in the rate of suicides registered in the last six years by the World Health Organization is the objective of the partnership between the Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (HUOL/UFRN), the North-Rio Grande Psychiatry Association (ANP) and the Center for the Valorization of Life (CVV, call 188), which will promote next Sunday, 22, a Walk for the Valuation of Life, including health information activities, which will be held from 8am to 12pm, at Parque das Dunas de Natal.
Suicide, following car accidents, was the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. Among adolescents aged 15 to 19, suicide was the second leading cause of death among girls and the third leading cause among boys. Although global numbers are falling, the rates are still alarming: around 800,000 people end their lives every year around the world, the equivalent of one death every 40 seconds.
The Americas were the only regions to show growth in the global suicide rate, with an increase of 6%. Around 80% of cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, such as Brazil. Depression, schizophrenia and the use of illicit drugs are the main illnesses identified by doctors with a suicidal potential, problems that could be treated and avoided in 90% of cases, according to the Brazilian Psychiatric Association (ABP).