THERE were 400 suicides reported in Singapore in 2019, up from 397 the year before, said the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS).

It said most age groups registered a slight increase in the number of suicide deaths last year.

“Death as a result of suicide dropped to 8.00 per 100,000 Singapore residents from 8.36 in 2018,” it said on its website.

Suicide remains the leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 29, it said. Suicide death is highest among those aged 20 to 29 years compared to all other age groups.

“In 2019, 71 youth aged between 20 and 29 years took their own lives. Suicide accounts for about one-third of all reported deaths in this age group,” it said.

Of those who revealed their age, SOS said youth between 20 to 29 years old accounted for approximately 17% of the calls to the 24-hour hotline, and making up for about 37% of Email Befriending clients.

The number of calls from this age group rose to 4,124, up from 3,396 calls in the previous fiscal year ending March 2019.

Through interactions with clients, SOS said it is observed that these individuals often cite issues with romantic relationships, difficulties coping with one’s mental health and struggles managing challenging situations as contributing factors that led to their acute distress. – Bernama, August 4, 2020.