The International Handbook of Suicide Prevention (2nd edition)

It is notoriously difficult to obtain accurate suicide statistics. While suicide is accepted in some cultures, it is still such a taboo subject in most that practically any other explanation of someone’s death is more acceptable. A survey of medical examiners in the USA suggested that the actual suicide rate there is probably twice the reported rate. In other cultures, the ratio may be even higher. The World Health Organization’s estimate of approximately 8-900,000 deaths a year may therefore be woefully low. Even at that figure, suicide is the 15th leading cause of death worldwide and in some social groups,...