While suicide is often a personal act, and sometimes linked to mental health disorders,

there IS some commonality throughout specific countries. Certain environmental and cultural

circumstances can be contributing factors to suicide. So, which countries have the highest

suicide rates?

It is important to note that suicide is often under reported. The stigma associated with

the act leads to many suicides being recorded as accidental deaths. Per-capita, the country

with the highest suicide rate in the world is Guyana, located in South America. With

44 deaths per 100,000 people, Guyana’s rate is almost 3 times that of the global average.

Some have pointed to the extreme poverty, rampant alcoholism, and easy access to deadly

pesticides as a reason for the high rate. There are also almost no mental health resources,

with less than 10 full time psychiatrists for a population of nearly 800,000. Guyana

is infamously known as the location of the Jonestown Massacre, during which nearly 1,000

cult members simultaneously committed suicide.

Second worldwide, and first among OECD nations is South Korea. The juxtaposition between

a high standard of living and the high rate of suicides has many questioning the root

causes. The most common victims are over the age of 65, while most suicides in other countries

are among young people. Some attribute this as a side effect of rapid industrialization.

The changes in society and economy have put significant pressure on South Koreans, with

the youth trying to fit into a modern world, and the elderly feeling out of place. This

has been referred to as a “cultural ambivalence”, and is proposed as a possible reason for such

a high suicide rate.

At roughly the same rate as South Korea, Sri Lanka is third in suicides. With nearly 11

self inflicted deaths a day, some experts point to a number of risk factors. Sri Lanka

is a very poor country, so much so that the poverty line is established as 90 cents per

day. For the past 3 decades Sri Lanka has waged a civil war against their ethnic minority,

leading to increased homelessness and social inequality. Most suicides have been by impoverished

rural peasants, which some have attributed to the government ending farming subsidies.

One country often ignored in suicide statistics is Greenland. This is due to its low population.

As the least densely populated country in the world, Greenland sees over 100 suicides

per 100,000 residents, more than twice the rate of Guyana. According to the government,

one in five have attempted suicide at some point in their lives. Some researchers suggest

that suicides spike during the summer because in Greenland the sun does not set until much

later in the day. This can cause insomnia, which contributes to mental health problems.

The country also suffers from severe alcoholism, localized poverty, and depression.

An estimated 1 million people commit suicide every year. Unfortunately, both mental illness

and suicide carry heavy social stigmas, preventing many from getting the help they need.

Japan’s attitude toward suicide, however, is WAY different. In fact, they see it as

an act of HONOR. Find out more about that on Seeker Daily: Thanks for

watching TestTube News, folks? Have you subscribed to our channel yet? Make sure you do so you

don’t miss out on new episodes.