To Prevent Suicide: Keep in Touch

This makes so much sense. According to the World Health Organization, keeping in touch with suicidal people after they were initially treated, saves lives. From the story:

In its latest bulletin, the U.N. agency said 85 percent of suicide attempts took place in developing countries. Worldwide, it was among the top three causes of death among people aged between 15 and 34.

New research showed telephone calls and other regular contact after patients were released from hospital dramatically reduced the likelihood of their attempting suicide again.

Studies show the same is true of people who would qualify for assisted suicide in Oregon and under Washington’s I-1000, not to mention those who die in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and etc. But those people don’t receive the initial suicide prevention and so may not live to have the follow up contacts.

Next
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Lift My Chin, Lord 

Jennifer Reeser

Lift my chin, Lord,Say to me,“You are not whoYou feared to be,Not Hecate, quite,With howling sound,Torch held…

Letters

Two delightful essays in the March issue, by Nikolas Prassas (“Large Language Poetry,” March 2025) and Gary…

Spring Twilight After Penance 

Sally Thomas

Let’s say you’ve just comeFrom confession. Late sunPours through the budding treesThat mark the brown creek washing Itself…