Every day 10 people take their lives in Spain, however this reality passes silently in our society. Equidistant silence is preferred despite the fact that suicide affects people of any age, culture or population group. Although it is also true that it especially affects vulnerable groups such as minors, the elderly, women in situations of gender violence, homeless people, people with disabilities or mental health problems.
Suicide is the leading cause of unnatural death and the WHO has set a goal for 2020 to reduce its rate by 10% in different countries. This makes it a public health emergency whose prevention goes through scientific evidence to speak and make it visible with rigor, eliminating taboo and stigma. However, there are significant resistance to addressing it openly and effectively for prevention in our society. We must overcome political, professional, confessional, media resistance … overcome social resistance. As a society, the unwritten pact has been reached to veto talk about suicide, it is a taboo, but we must be aware that by not talking about suicide what we are doing is vetoing the opportunity to prevent it.
It is surely because when addressing this public health problem, society is confronted with a mirror, in which an image is reflected in which it is not very favored. Because it would be a protective factor against suicide to contribute to the construction of a more collaborative, more empathic, more supportive, more inclusive society with greater social cohesion. A society in which we show a different ethic of coexistence. And that is very hard to assume, especially if nothing is done next. I propose to take sides, as a society and individually, in favor of suicide prevention. Dare to look at ourselves head-on in that mirror and break barriers and silences, prejudices and stigmas.
We are on the right way
Spain is on the right track, more and more Autonomous Communities are joining the pioneering decision that the Valencian Community adopted in 2017 with the development of the plan for the prevention and management of suicidal behavior. In addition, the Ministry of health, consumption and social welfare is working from the field of mental health. But there is no more time to waste. Obstacles of all kinds that prevent the implementation of suicide prevention formulas must be removed. We can personally get involved talking about suicide, helping to make the problem visible. As a society, institutions can bet on cohesion and social justice policies. In addition to making specific resources available to citizens and providing budgetary funds. But it is not only a question of budget, the transformation that is needed, goes through networking, working together and in a multidisciplinary way between health and non-health professionals. A job that should lead health, but in which the areas of education, social welfare, employment, justice, urban planning, transport … and the media are also strongly involved.
There are many ways to break the silence, this column is a small sample of them, also rigorous and respectful information from the media. But the silence is broken in many more ways. With statistics and epidemiology, through a good record of suicide data and attempts, which allows us to better understand the reality and, among other valuable actions, monitor and accompany people with suicide attempts, since they have a risk 100 times higher than the general population. The silence is also broken with the education of children, so that they increase their emotional resilience, learn to resolve conflicts and deal with stress and life transitions. Also with specialized training for professionals in medicine, nursing, social work, etc…. And the silence is broken, understanding that pain and suffering go beyond the person who tries or takes their own life, affects their family and personal environment. Between 6 and 14 people are affected by a suicide, they are the so-called survivors, who add to the grief other emotions such as misunderstanding, guilt, shame or stigma.
Maintaining the veto does not make sense. Breaking the silence is part of the solution to preventing suicide.
