Continuing the aggressive fight in “changing the narrative on suicide”

Dear Editor,
On September 10, Guyana and the world at large observed ‘World Suicide Prevention Day’ and country is promising a ‘strong commitment’ to ‘Mental Health Reform.’ Guyana realises that ‘indeed a concerted effort is needed for ‘Suicide Prevention’ and this year it was under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” As the Ministry of Health pointed out, this year’s theme challenges governments, institutions, families, and individuals to transform how suicide is discussed and addressed within society.
In this regard, I think we should acknowledge that suicide is a very major public health challenge, across all nations, as suicidal deaths account for nearly 720 000 people every year, and vital to note is that each life lost has profound social, emotional, and economic consequences, that deeply affect families, friends, workplaces, and entire communities around the world.
Just look at this, and see why it is fitting that Guyana stay focus on fighting suicide. The 720 000 plus people who die due to suicide every contribute statistically to make suicide the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds. This is a big blow to future generation. Also, seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low-middle income countries. Evene graver is that for every suicide, there are many more people who actually attempt suicide, and it is well-established that a prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population, and of course, this is being addressed as well.
The reasons for suicide still seem baffling and overall, these are multi-faceted, being influenced by things like social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors present across the life-course. No wonder Guyana is so committed in its effort and investment in this area.
In recent years, the Ministry of Health has shown notable progress in suicide prevention and mental health care. We may recall that “mental health catering” was emphasized within the Guyana 2025 Budget (to the tune of $143.2 billion) for things like drug procurement and infrastructure. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, at that time of the Budget presentation, did state that mental health will be a critical aspect of the public health system, as triggered by available scientific research on the country’s existing mental health challenges.
Another thing that we must remember is that in November 2022, the passage of the seminal Suicide Prevention Act meant the ‘decriminalizing’ of attempted suicide. This pivotal law not only removed a legal barrier but also reduced traditional and silly stigma surrounding the issue. We know too that the act led to a number of good things, such as the establishment of a National Suicide Prevention Commission, the launch of the Government National Mental Health Action Plan and Suicide Prevention Plan 2024–2030, the launching of 915, the first 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Helpline, which provides for a confidential ‘crisis intervention’ and ‘community’ mental health support system. Even before all of this, between April and May 2024, more than 750 Gatekeepers were trained across all 10 regions to identify and respond to suicidal behaviour, and this was in partnership with the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) and Global Affairs Canada.
Let me not belabour the point, as I think that no one can doubt that Guyana is in a good phase in terms of acknowledging the seriousness of suicide, and aggressively seeking to counter it. To these kinds of inputs, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) has already recognised the country’s significant decline in suicide rates in recent times, and thus commending the country’s integrated and compassionate approach.
As far as I know, the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (2024–2026) is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. This theme means that we need, personally and collectively, to ‘challenge harmful myths, reduce stigma, and foster open, compassionate conversations about suicide.’ It is very vital that a shift in mindset take place-from silence and misunderstanding to openness, empathy, and support, and so create a fraternizing environment, where people feel comfortable to talk about their situation and turn for accompanying help.
My plea is that we must not let World Suicide Prevention Day be just another occasion. We need to be behind the Ministry of Health as the call goes out to all citizens “… to continue breaking the silence surrounding mental health (as) we all have a role to play in changing the narrative—by replacing silence with understanding, stigma with compassion, and punishment with care.” Let’s remember that every suicide is a tragedy, and to some degree a mystery. The word is that “Suicide often stems from a deep feeling of hopelessness. The inability to see solutions to problems or to cope with challenging life circumstances may lead people to see taking their own lives as the only solution to what is really a temporary situation, and most survivors of suicide attempts go on to live full, rewarding lives.

Yours truly,
Raymond Anderson