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An emergency telephone is a public telephone provided for making calls to emergency services .

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68-496: A Blue Light Station is a combined emergency telephone and emergency power-off switch in rapid transit stations and other points along electrified railways. They are common in the United States and Canada. The location of such a device is usually indicated by a blue light. Blue Light Stations provide a direct communication path to the rail system's operations control center and a switch to disconnect traction power from

136-435: A crime ." Some advocacy groups recommend using the terms took his/her own life , died by suicide , or killed him/herself instead of committed suicide . The Associated Press Stylebook recommends avoiding "committed suicide" except in direct quotes from authorities. The Guardian and Observer style guides deprecate the use of "committed", as does CNN . Opponents of commit argue that it implies that suicide

204-532: A right to die . The act of taking one's life for the benefit of others is known as altruistic suicide . An example of this is an elder ending his or her life to leave greater amounts of food for the younger people in the community. Suicide in some Inuit cultures has been seen as an act of respect, courage, or wisdom. A suicide attack is a political or religious action where an attacker carries out violence against others which they understand will result in their own death. Some suicide bombers are motivated by

272-404: A suicide note , and media are discouraged from reporting the contents of that message. When detailed descriptions of how to kill oneself by a specific means are portrayed, this method of suicide can be imitated in vulnerable people. This phenomenon has been observed in several cases after press coverage. In a bid to reduce the adverse effect of media portrayals concerning suicide report, one of

340-736: A suicide pact . In extenuating situations where continuing to live would be intolerable, some people use suicide as a means of escape. Some inmates in Nazi concentration camps are known to have killed themselves during the Holocaust by deliberately touching the electrified fences. Suicide prevention is a term used for the collective efforts to reduce the incidence of suicide through preventive measures. Protective factors for suicide include support, and access to therapy. About 60% of people with suicidal thoughts do not seek help. Reasons for not doing so include low perceived need, and wanting to deal with

408-480: A 2-letter identifier for the county, followed by the route number, then a 3 or 4 digit number corresponding to the route's post mileage calculated in tenths of miles. Emergency phones can also be found at the ends of bridges or near cliffs which have a history of suicides . These calls are generally routed directly to the appropriate support agencies such as The Samaritans in the UK . They are also occasionally found along

476-404: A criminal offense in some countries . In the 20th and 21st centuries, suicide has been used on rare occasions as a form of protest ; it has also been committed while or after murdering others , a tactic that has been used both militarily and by terrorists . Suicide is often seen as a major catastrophe, causing significant grief to the deceased's relatives, friends and community members, and it

544-400: A decrease around Christmas, but an increase in rates during spring and summer, which might be related to exposure to sunshine. Another study found that the risk may be greater for males on their birthday. Genetics might influence rates of suicide. A family history of suicide, especially in the mother, affects children more than adolescents or adults. Adoption studies have shown that this is

612-476: A desire to obtain martyrdoms or are religiously motivated. Kamikaze missions were carried out as a duty to a higher cause or moral obligation. Murder–suicide is an act of homicide followed within a week by suicide of the person who carried out the act. Mass suicides are often performed under social pressure where members give up autonomy to a leader (see Notable cases below). Mass suicides can take place with as few as two people, often referred to as

680-492: A difference in rates of attempted suicide. Young women in the Middle East may have higher rates. Certain occupations carry an elevated risk of self-harm and suicide, such as military careers. Research in several countries has found that the rate of suicide among former armed forces personnel in particular, and young veterans especially, is markedly higher than that found in the general population. War veterans have

748-611: A higher risk for future attempts. Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance abuse; careful media reporting about suicide; improving economic conditions; and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Although crisis hotlines , like 988 in North America and 13 11 14 in Australia , are common resources, their effectiveness has not been well studied. Suicide

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816-490: A higher risk of suicide due in part to higher rates of mental illness, such as post-traumatic stress disorder , and physical health problems related to war. The media, including the Internet, plays an important role. Certain depictions of suicide may increase its occurrence, with high-volume, prominent, repetitive coverage glorifying or romanticizing suicide having the most impact. For example, about 15–40% of people leave

884-412: A local cluster of cases. Most research does not distinguish between risk factors that lead to thinking about suicide and risk factors that lead to suicide attempts. Risks for suicide attempt, rather than just thoughts of suicide, include a high pain tolerance and a reduced fear of death . A 2002 review of about analyzing about 90 suicide related study concluded that the risk of suicide following

952-415: A number of medications (such as beta blockers and steroids ). A number of psychological factors increase the risk of suicide including: hopelessness, loss of pleasure in life , depression , anxiousness, agitation, rigid thinking, rumination , thought suppression , and poor coping skills. A poor ability to solve problems, the loss of abilities one used to have, and poor impulse control also play

1020-400: A personality disorder, with borderline personality disorder being the most common. About 5% of people with schizophrenia die of suicide. Eating disorders are another high risk condition. Around 22% to 50% of people with gender dysphoria have attempted suicide, however this greatly varies by region. Among approximately 80% of suicides, the individual has seen a physician within

1088-508: A preventive effect, for instance fiction might normalize mental health problems and encourage help-seeking. Some environmental exposures, including air pollution , intense sunlight , sunlight duration , hot weather , and high altitude , are associated with suicide. There is a possible association between short-term PM 10 exposure and suicide. These factors might affect certain high-risk individuals more than others. The time of year may also affect suicide rates. There appears to be

1156-410: A previous attempt or self-harm is hundreds of time larger than in the general population. A more recent study estimated that individuals with a history of suicide attempts are approximately 25 times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population. These findings makes a suicide attempt one of the strongest predictors of eventual completed attempt. Among the population that completed

1224-584: A propensity for suicide. Cannabis , however, does not appear to independently increase the risk. Non-suicidal self-harm is common with 18% of people engaging in self-harm over the course of their life. Acts of self-harm are not usually suicide attempts and most who self-harm are not at high risk of suicide. Some who self-harm, however, do still end their life by suicide, and risk for self-harm and suicide may overlap. Individuals who have been identified as self-harming after being admitted to hospital are 68% ( 38 – 105% ) more likely to die by suicide. There

1292-429: A role in depression ( major depressive disorder ), and interventions in these areas may be an effective add-on to conventional methods. Vitamin B 2 , B 6 and B 12 deficiency may cause depression in females. Risk of depression may be reduced with a healthy diet "high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes; moderate amounts of poultry, eggs, and dairy products; and only occasional red meat". A balanced diet and

1360-506: A role. In older adults, the perception of being a burden to others is important. Those who have never married are also at greater risk. Recent life stresses , such as a loss of a family member or friend or the loss of a job, might be a contributing factor. Certain personality factors, especially high levels of neuroticism and introvertedness , have been associated with suicide. This might lead to people who are isolated and sensitive to distress to be more likely to attempt suicide. On

1428-484: Is an association between suicidality and physical health problems such as chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome , kidney failure (requiring hemodialysis ), HIV , and systemic lupus erythematosus . The diagnosis of cancer approximately doubles the subsequent frequency of suicide. The prevalence of increased suicidality persisted after adjusting for depressive illness and alcohol abuse. Among people with more than one medical condition

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1496-466: Is another strong predictor. Time passing since an attempt also plays critical role. The first and the second year have the highest risk of completed attempt. It is estimated that 1% die by suicide within a year of the first attempt It is estimated that about 90% of suicide survivors will not die of suicide. Mental illness is present at the time of suicide 27% to more than 90% of the time. Of those who have been hospitalized for suicidal behavior,

1564-569: Is associated with an increased rate of suicide and attempted suicide. The pro-suicidal effects of benzodiazepines are suspected to be due to a psychiatric disturbance caused by side effects, such as disinhibition , or withdrawal symptoms. Countries that have higher rates of alcohol use and a greater density of bars generally also have higher rates of suicide. About 2.2–3.4% of those who have been treated for alcoholism at some point in their life die by suicide. Alcoholics who attempt suicide are usually male, older, and have tried to take their own lives in

1632-459: Is believed to contribute to approximately 20% of the overall risk. Significant adversity early in life has a negative effect on problem-solving skills and memory, both of which are implicated in suicidality. According to a 2022 study, adverse childhood experiences maybe "associated with a two-fold higher odds" of anxiety disorders, depression and suicidality." Problem gambling is associated with increased suicidal ideation and attempts compared to

1700-422: Is caused by altered neurotransmitter activity due to the immunological response. Rational suicide is the reasoned taking of one's own life. However, some consider suicide as never being rational. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are accepted practices in a number of countries among those who have a poor quality of life without the possibility of getting better. They are supported by the legal arguments for

1768-525: Is criminal, sinful , or morally wrong. There is no known unifying underlying pathophysiology for suicide; it is believed to result from an interplay of behavioral, socio-economic and psychological factors. Low levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are both directly associated with suicide and indirectly associated through its role in major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive–compulsive disorder . Post-mortem studies have found reduced levels of BDNF in

1836-478: Is difficult to determine when and where the earliest highway emergency phones were developed, undoubtedly one of the earliest examples were the freeway phones developed in Western Australia in 1966. This system was developed by Alan Harman, an employee of a Western Australian security firm, Central Station Security Company, Electronic Signals Pty Ltd, who came up with the idea after reading of a pile-up on

1904-548: Is greatest during the withdrawal phase . Those who used inhalants are also at significant risk with around 20% attempting suicide at some point and more than 65% considering it. Smoking cigarettes is associated with risk of suicide. There is little evidence as to why this association exists; however, it has been hypothesized that those who are predisposed to smoking are also predisposed to suicide, that smoking causes health problems which subsequently make people want to end their life, and that smoking affects brain chemistry causing

1972-550: Is hard to obtain. Epigenetics , the study of changes in genetic expression in response to environmental factors which do not alter the underlying DNA , is also believed to play a role in determining suicide risk. Factors that affect the risk of suicide include mental disorders, drug misuse, psychological states , cultural, family and social situations, genetics, experiences of trauma or loss, and nihilism . Mental disorders and substance misuse frequently co-exist. Other risk factors include having previously attempted suicide,

2040-463: Is known as the "Werther effect", named after the protagonist in Goethe 's The Sorrows of Young Werther who killed himself and then was emulated by many admirers of the book. This risk is greater in adolescents who may romanticize death. It appears that while news media has a significant effect, that of the entertainment media is equivocal. It is unclear if searching for information about suicide on

2108-596: Is little evidence to support or refute their effectiveness. Preventing childhood trauma provides an opportunity for suicide prevention. The World Suicide Prevention Day is observed annually on 10 September with the support of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization . About 50% of people who die of suicide have a mood disorder such as major depression. Sleep and diet may play

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2176-453: Is partly related to the availability of effective means. Views on suicide have been influenced by broad existential themes such as religion, honor, and the meaning of life. The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide as an offense towards God due to belief in the sanctity of life . During the samurai era in Japan, a form of suicide known as seppuku ( 腹切り , harakiri )

2244-424: Is that deaths by healthy adolescents likely do not increase inclusive fitness. Adaptation to a very different ancestral environment may be maladaptive in the current one. Trauma is a risk factor for suicidality in both children and adults. Some may take their own lives to escape bullying or prejudice . A history of childhood sexual abuse and time spent in foster care are also risk factors. Sexual abuse

2312-420: Is the 10th leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 1.5% of total deaths. In a given year, this is roughly 12 per 100,000 people. Though suicides resulted in 828,000 deaths globally in 2015, an increase from 712,000 deaths in 1990, the age-standardized death rate decreased by 23.3%. By gender , suicide rates are generally higher among men than women, ranging from 1.5 times higher in

2380-403: Is the act of intentionally causing one's own death . Mental disorders , physical disorders , and substance abuse are common risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or academic difficulties ), relationship problems (such as breakups or divorces ), or harassment and bullying . Those who have previously attempted suicide are at

2448-556: Is the second most common risk factor for suicide after major depression and bipolar disorder. Both chronic substance misuse as well as acute intoxication are associated. When combined with personal grief, such as bereavement , the risk is further increased. Substance misuse is also associated with mental health disorders. Most people are under the influence of sedative-hypnotic drugs (such as alcohol or benzodiazepines) when they die by suicide, with alcoholism present in between 15% and 61% of cases. Use of prescribed benzodiazepines

2516-513: Is viewed negatively almost everywhere around the world; however, assisted suicide is legal in many countries and increasing in numbers. Suicide, derived from Latin suicidium , is "the act of taking one's own life". Attempted suicide , or non-fatal suicidal behavior, amounts to self-injury with at least some desire to end one's life that does not result in death. Assisted suicide occurs when one individual helps another bring about their own death indirectly by providing either advice or

2584-676: The developing world to 3.5 times higher in the developed world ; in the Western world , non-fatal suicide attempts are more common among young people and women. Suicide is generally most common among those over the age of 70; however, in certain countries, those aged between 15 and 30 are at the highest risk. Europe had the highest rates of suicide by region in 2015. There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year. Non-fatal suicide attempts may lead to injury and long-term disabilities. The most commonly adopted method of suicide varies from country to country and

2652-445: The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex , in those with and without psychiatric conditions. Serotonin , a brain neurotransmitter , is believed to be low in those who die by suicide. This is partly based on evidence of increased levels of 5-HT2A receptors found after death. Other evidence includes reduced levels of a breakdown product of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid , in the cerebral spinal fluid . However, direct evidence

2720-408: The 2010s, California removed most of their call boxes in urban and suburban areas, leaving them only in areas with minimal cell reception. These telephones are almost always marked by a placard or sign indicating a unique serial number or identifier which allows the authorities to know exactly where the caller is - even if the caller does not know - by having the caller read the short identifier from

2788-596: The Internet relates to the risk of suicide. The opposite of the Werther effect is the proposed "Papageno effect", in which coverage of effective coping mechanisms may have a protective effect. The term is based upon a character in Mozart 's opera The Magic Flute —fearing the loss of a loved one, he had planned to kill himself until his friends helped him out. As a consequence, fictional portrayals of suicide, showing alternative consequences or negative consequences, might have

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2856-538: The Kwinana Freeway. The newspaper article mentioned that assistance had been difficult to provide to those involved in the pile-up. The system Harman envisaged was a series of telephone units in a box on a short post, spaced every 160 metres (0.1 mi) on Perth's freeways. Picking up the handset would trigger an alarm in the Main Roads control centre and police, fire or ambulance could then be determined by

2924-547: The caller. Harman developed the system with the approval of the main roads commissioner and chief engineer, by adapting the existing design of communication facilities used at the security firm in which he worked. Emergency telephones are commonly found alongside major roads throughout the world. In the United Kingdom, orange " SOS " call boxes are spaced every 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) on all motorways as well as some major "A" roads, with roadside markers indicating

2992-652: The car company's emergency centre or the emergency services ( 112 ) and provide GPS location data. If the car crashes and the airbags inflate, then the emergency phone inside the car activates, even if the occupant(s) cannot reach it. Within Europe the eCall initiative has made this functionality mandatory in all cars sold from April 2018. In some countries, they are also found in places where people may feel vulnerable or unsafe at night. They are commonly found on university campuses , urban parks and housing estates . These are generally linked to security companies who patrol

3060-514: The case for biological relatives, but not adopted relatives. This makes familial risk factors unlikely to be due to imitation . Once mental disorders are accounted for, the estimated heritability rate is 36% for suicidal ideation and 17% for suicide attempts. An evolutionary explanation for suicide is that it may improve inclusive fitness . This may occur if the person dying by suicide cannot have more children and takes resources away from relatives by staying alive. An objection to this explanation

3128-506: The coastline where members of the public may wish to report swimmers or boats in danger at sea. In the UK such phones connect directly to the Coastguard . Emergency phones are also found in elevators where entrapment is very common. These emergency phones connect to a live operator who can help people escape from the stopped elevator. Some car models have an SOS button that connects them to

3196-410: The country. Being religious may reduce one's risk of suicide while beliefs that suicide is noble may increase it. This has been attributed to the negative stance many religions take against suicide and to the greater connectedness religion may give. Muslims , among religious people, appear to have a lower rate of suicide; however, the data supporting this is not strong. There does not appear to be

3264-429: The effective methods is to educate journalists on how to report suicide news in a manner that might reduce that possibility of imitation and encourage those at risk to seek for help. When journalists follow certain reporting guidelines the risk of suicides can be decreased. Getting buy-in from the media industry, however, can be difficult, especially in the long term. This trigger of suicide contagion or copycat suicide

3332-517: The frequency was particularly high. In Japan, health problems are listed as the primary justification for suicide. Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and sleep apnea , are risk factors for depression and suicide. In some instances, the sleep disturbances may be a risk factor independent of depression. A number of other medical conditions may present with symptoms similar to mood disorders, including hypothyroidism , Alzheimer's , brain tumors , systemic lupus erythematosus, and adverse effects from

3400-466: The general population. Between 12 and 24% of pathological gamblers attempt suicide. The rate of suicide among their spouses is three times greater than that of the general population. Other factors that increase the risk in problem gamblers include concomitant mental illness, alcohol, and drug misuse. Infection by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii , more commonly known as toxoplasmosis , has been linked with suicide risk. One explanation states that this

3468-499: The lack of social support has been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Poverty is also a factor, with heightened relative poverty compared to those around a person increasing suicide risk. Over 200,000 farmers in India have died by suicide since 1997, partly due to issues of debt. In China, suicide is three times as likely in rural regions as urban ones, partly, it is believed, due to financial difficulties in this area of

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3536-663: The lifetime risk of suicide is 8.6%. Comparatively, non-suicidal people hospitalized for affective disorders have a 4% lifetime risk of suicide. Half of all people who die by suicide may have major depressive disorder ; having this or one of the other mood disorders such as bipolar disorder increases the risk of suicide 20-fold. Other conditions implicated include schizophrenia (14%), personality disorders (8%), obsessive–compulsive disorder , and post-traumatic stress disorder . Those with autism also attempt and consider suicide more frequently. Others estimate that about half of people who die by suicide could be diagnosed with

3604-442: The means to the end. Euthanasia , more specifically voluntary euthanasia , is where another person takes a more active role in bringing about a person's death. Suicidal ideation is thoughts of ending one's life but not taking any active efforts to do so. It may or may not involve exact planning or intent. Suicidality is defined as "the risk of suicide, usually indicated by suicidal ideation or intent, especially as evident in

3672-639: The nearest phone. Emergency telephones were installed every 0.25 miles (400 m) on all limited-access highways (" Freeways ") throughout Southern California in the United States beginning in the 1970s. In Melbourne, Australia, emergency telephones were introduced on metropolitan freeways in 1976, originally on the Tullamarine, South Eastern and Lower Yarra (West Gate) Freeways. On Italian " Autostrade " ("Motorways"), "SOS" emergency phones, generally coloured in yellow, are found spaced every 2 kilometres (1.2 mi). As cell phone use continues to increase,

3740-545: The need for emergency telephones declines and they are being phased out in many cities. In California, freeway call boxes dropped from 98,000 uses in 2001 to 20,100 in 2010, or about 1 call per box per month. The annual maintenance of freeway call boxes for the Service Authority for Freeways and Expressways (SAFE) program in the San Francisco Bay Area was $ 1.7 million annually in 2011. During

3808-432: The normal verb in scholarly research and journalism for the act of suicide was commit , and argued for destigmatizing terminology related to suicide; in 2011, they published an article calling for changing the language used around suicide entitled "Suicide and language: Why we shouldn't use the 'C' word". The American Psychological Association lists "committed suicide" as a term to avoid because it " frame [s] suicide as

3876-400: The other hand, optimism has been shown to have a protective effect. Other psychological risk factors include having few reasons for living and feeling trapped in a stressful situation. Changes to the stress response system in the brain might be altered during suicidal states. Specifically, changes in the polyamine system and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis . Social isolation and

3944-713: The past, may also be effective. Some have proposed reducing access to alcohol as a preventive strategy (such as reducing the number of bars). In young adults who have recently thought about suicide, cognitive behavioral therapy appears to improve outcomes. School-based programs that increase mental health literacy and train staff have shown mixed results on suicide rates. Economic development through its ability to reduce poverty may be able to decrease suicide rates. Efforts to increase social connection , especially in elderly males, may be effective. In people who have attempted suicide, following up on them might prevent repeat attempts. Although crisis hotlines are common, there

4012-402: The past. Between 3 and 35% of deaths among those who use heroin are due to suicide (approximately fourteenfold greater than those who do not use). In adolescents who misuse alcohol, neurological and psychological dysfunctions may contribute to the increased risk of suicide. The misuse of cocaine and methamphetamine has a high correlation with suicide. In those who use cocaine, the risk

4080-412: The placard over the telephone. Some phones are equipped with the equivalent of caller id and the agent receiving the call can identify the location even if the caller cannot. In most U.S. states with roadside call boxes, the call box placard has the route's milepost reading. In California, call boxes are identified by their mileage through individual counties using postmiles for reference. Each box has

4148-510: The power rail(s) or overhead catenary in case of emergency. This emergency trip system (ETS) immediately shuts down the traction power supply in the adjacent track section, to protect people already on or about to enter the track from the dangers of electric current. Requirements of Blue Light Stations are defined in the NFPA standard 130, "Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems". Emergency telephone Although it

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4216-532: The presence of a well-elaborated suicidal plan." In a murder–suicide (or homicide–suicide), the individual aims at taking the lives of others at the same time. A special case of this is extended suicide, where the murder is motivated by seeing the murdered persons as an extension of their self. Suicide in which the reason is that the person feels that they are not part of society is known as egoistic suicide . The Centre for Suicide Prevention in Canada found that

4284-602: The problem alone. Despite these high rates, there are few established treatments available for suicidal behavior. Reducing access to certain methods , such as access to firearms or toxins such as opioids and pesticides, can reduce risk of suicide by that method. Reducing access to easily-accessible methods of suicide may make impulsive attempts less likely to succeed. Other measures include reducing access to charcoal (for burning) and adding barriers on bridges and subway platforms. Treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, depression, and those who have attempted suicide in

4352-574: The ready availability of a means to take one's life, a family history of suicide, or the presence of traumatic brain injury . For example, suicide rates have been found to be greater in households with firearms than those without them. Socio-economic problems such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and discrimination may trigger suicidal thoughts. Suicide might be rarer in societies with high social cohesion and moral objections against suicide. Genetics appears to account for between 38% and 55% of suicidal behaviors. Suicides may also occur as

4420-939: The streets where the phones are located. And on campuses, they typically connect to the campus security or police. Improving coverage of the cellular network in combination with high maintenance and upkeep costs have resulted in declining usage of emergency telephones for highways. In Belgium and the Netherlands , roadside emergency telephones have been retired from service as of 2017. In case of emergency, drivers are expected to use their own cellphone to alert emergency services. In some sparsely populated areas in Wallonia , roadside emergency telephones are expected to remain operational until 2020. https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/university/are-blue-light-phones-obsolete-uw-madison-says-benefits-of/article_734fc386-8774-54dc-841e-57f490c8b78b.html Suicide Suicide

4488-399: The suicide attempt, it is estimated that between 25% (after one year) to 40% tried to commit suicide before. The likelihood of completion of the subsequent attempt depends on the means used, the age of the person and their gender. Other risk factors such as substance use and mental health impact likelihood of completed attempt after an attempt. High suicidal intent during previous attempts

4556-448: The year before their death, including 45% within the prior month. Approximately 25–40% of those who died by suicide had contact with mental health services in the prior year. Antidepressants of the SSRI class appear to increase the frequency of suicide among children and young persons. An unwillingness to get help for mental health problems also increases the risk. Substance misuse

4624-453: Was respected as a means of making up for failure or as a form of protest. Similarly, a ritual fast unto death, known as Vatakkiruttal ( Tamil :  வடக்கிருத்தல் , Vaṭakkiruttal , 'fasting facing north'), was a Tamil ritual suicide in ancient India during the Sangam age . Suicide and attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries. It remains

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