Suicide Statistics in Iran; Housewife Women Hold the First Rank

Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are thinking about suicide, please contact these special numbers for help: In Iran: Social Emergency 123, Consultant Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200. In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988. In Canada: Number 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 11612. Hamid Yaqoubi, head of the Iranian Suicide Prevention Association, stated at the 14th conference on 'Mental Health and Media' that the latest suicide statistics in Iran are from before the year 1401 (2022) and added that housewife women with 32.8% rank first in suicide attempts, while workers account for one-third of suicides at 32%. According to the newspaper 'Ham-Mihan', he noted that accurate statistics are not provided and that his request to make suicide statistics available led to a case being filed against him for 'spreading falsehoods'. The head of the Iranian Suicide Prevention Association stated that the suicide rate is reported at 4.3%, ranking Iran 160th in the world among countries. He added that in the last four years, suicide-related deaths have increased by 10% annually, rising from 4.7% in 1390 (2011) to 8.1% in 1401 (2022) and to 8.9% in 1402 (2023). Mr. Yaqoubi emphasized that the statistics for 1403 (2024) are higher, likely reaching 9.7%. The newspaper 'Etemad' also previously reported based on official statistics that the suicide rate in Iran in 1401 (2022) increased by about 51% compared to 1395 (2016). The head of the Iranian Suicide Prevention Association emphasized that according to a general formula, every suicide that occurs should be multiplied by 20 to arrive at the number of 'suicide attempts', bringing the number of suicide attempts in Iran to 150,000. Accordingly, if this number is also multiplied by 20, we reach a figure indicating the level of 'suicidal thoughts', which amounts to about three million and 41 thousand cases. According to Hamid Yaqoubi, in 1401 (2022), housewife women ranked fourth in suicide deaths and were first in suicide attempts at 32.8%. He pointed out that 'the number of deaths due to suicide in 1401 (2022) was over 6,900', adding that 'according to occupational classification in Iran, 32% of suicides relate to the working class.' Mr. Yaqoubi also mentioned that the suicide rate in all of Iran is 8.1%, but in Ilam, it is 18.7%, which is two and a half times the national average. On February 20, 1403 (2024), the newspaper 'Etemad' reported that over 2,000 people attempt suicide annually in Ilam, and that the statistics in Ilam sometimes reach more than five times the national suicide rate. The head of the Iranian Suicide Prevention Association at the Mental Health and Media conference stated that 80% of suicides in Iran involve individuals under 50 years old. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Science of the Islamic Republic has asked him to change the name of the 'Suicide Prevention Association' to 'Iran Life Hope Association' and said: 'They don't even want to mention the word suicide.' Saeed Moa'idfar, head of the Iranian Sociological Association, also warned at this conference about the intensifying suicide statistics in Iran in the coming years, stating that statistics show the highest rate of murders occurs in homes, whereas previously, families were 'buffers against societal problems,' but now they are themselves caught in crisis. The World Health Organization's statistics indicate that annually, 726,000 people lose their lives, and many others attempt suicide. This international health organization emphasizes that every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities, and entire countries, leaving long-term effects on survivors. The World Health Organization states that globally, the availability and quality of data related to suicide and self-harm are poor, and only about 80 member countries of this organization have accurate and high-quality data that can be directly used to estimate suicide rates. The taboo surrounding suicide and its illegality in some countries, according to the World Health Organization, leads to incomplete reporting and misclassification of suicide in official statistics. The increase in suicide rates in Iran is overshadowed by economic problems and social collapse. The increase in suicide rates in the Tehran metro; safety weaknesses and negligence of officials. Suicide among medical students; the Ministry of Health formed a special committee.