“Every year more than 300 deaths occur due to suicide and approximately 25 times as many Slovenians attempt it. What’s hidden behind such statistics is stories of individuals who have started to doubt their value or the purpose of their life. Life is precious, sometimes uncertain and also hard. If we take a moment and devote our attention to those who need it – a complete stranger, a family member or a friend – we can change their lives,” writes the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) ahead of the world day of suicide prevention, which takes place on Sunday, 10 September.

According to NIJZ, the year 2016 saw the lowest number of suicide in the past few decades. Last year, the suicide quotient (number of deaths from suicide per 100,000 inhabitants) in Slovenia stood at 17.97 (28.71 for men and 7.40 for women). This means that 371 inhabitants of Slovenia (294 male and 77 female) died as a result of suicide. The ratio between men and women was 3.8 : 1.

“The suicide quotient in 2016 was one of the lowest in the past few decades and is much lower than the long-time average. Therefore, we can assume that the trend of decreasing suicide quotient is being maintained in Slovenia. The reasons for a drop in quotient may be multifaceted. In the past few years, more emphasis has been put on preventative measures (awareness of general public, activities for destigmatisation, working on strengthening the skills and competence in recognising and handling those at the risk of suicide by the general public and various experts). Moreover, help has become more accessible, especially from the non-governmental sector,” concludes NIJZ.