Suicidal behavior can appear at any age. The suicide rate is high among grownups of average age, but the highest rate is among persons older than 75. The data were presented by the Ministry of Health on the occasion of the World Suicide Prevention Day that is marked annually on September 10, IPN reports.
A number of 576 cases of suicide were recorded in Moldova in 2013, as against 571 cases in 2012. Thirteen minors younger than 17 killed themselves last year, as opposed to 24 in 2012.
The elderly people are more predisposed to suicide and have lower chances of survival as a result of a suicide attempt. On average, the suicide rate by sexes is three times higher among men than among women. However, the number of suicide attempts is two-three times higher among women, but this difference by sexes has reduced over the last few years.
Doctors say that suicide is the consequence of a series of factors that appear mainly in periods of socioeconomic crises, family or individual crises like the loss of a dear person, unemployment, divorce and abandonment.
About half of those who are predisposed to suicide have been earlier diagnosed with a mental disorder, while up to 90% of those who committed suicide suffered from at least one mental illness, mostly depression, schizophrenia and personality disorder.
The diminution of the suicide risk depends on the capacity to cope with stressful events, to control oneself and to adjust one’s behavior. A healthy lifestyle with correct alimentation, balanced sleep and physical activity contributes to the reduction of this risk.
