Asuncion, IP Agency.- Active listening that validates emotions, not interrupting and encouraging the person to seek professional help are part of the support that a person can provide to someone who is experiencing overwhelming emotions or who is expressing suicidal thoughts, the Ministry of Health points out.
The Director of Policies and Standards in Mental Health and Addictions, Dr. María Fernanda Rojas, explains the importance of accompanying the person who seeks to tell how they are feeling or who even indicates that they have suicidal thoughts.
The Ministry of Health, through the National Directorate of Mental Health, has launched the National Mental Health Policy 2024-2030, aligned with Law No. 7,018/2022 on Mental Health, which seeks to organize services by levels of complexity. This includes a preventive approach at the first level of care, integrating community resources and promoting the active participation of users and their families in the care process.
Training and new programs to prevent suicide
Suicide is one of the main problems addressed by the Mental Health Gap Global Action Programme (mhGAP), which aims to expand care for people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders from the first level of care. In Paraguay, this programme has already begun to be implemented, with special emphasis on the training of specialized human resources.
Work is underway to ensure that degree programs in mental health-related fields include specific tools for suicide prevention, such as crisis plans, safety measures, and emotional regulation strategies.
Upcoming launch of the Mental Health Crisis Line
One of the most urgent challenges is the establishment of the Mental Health Crisis Line, which is expected to be implemented soon. This line will be a vital resource for those people who find themselves in risk situations and who need immediate attention.
Awareness and community reintegration
The Ministry of Health also emphasizes the importance of community awareness to break down stigmas and overcome taboos related to suicide. It works hand in hand with the media, educational institutions and companies to raise awareness and promote mental health.
Following a suicide attempt, it is essential that the person receives family and professional support, ensuring continuity of care, restricting access to means of self-harm, and validating their emotions to support their recovery.
It also promotes maintaining healthy habits such as physical exercise, a balanced diet, good rest and leisure activities, which are essential for mental health and general well-being.
Worldwide, the suicide rate has been declining, except in the Americas, where it has increased by 17% between 2000 and 2019. In Paraguay, the upward trend has remained constant over the past 11 years. In 2023, 630 suicides were recorded, and in the first half of 2024 alone, 305 cases have already been recorded.
A WHO report published in 2021 revealed that 77% of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, including Paraguay. Most victims are under 50 years of age and suicide is the fourth cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In Paraguay, men are the most likely to die by suicide.
In addition, data from the General Pediatric Hospital “Niños de Acosta Ñu” indicate that, from January to July of this year, 45 hospitalizations for self-harm and suicide attempts were recorded in young people between 10 and 18 years old, which highlights the vulnerability of this age group.
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2024-09-26 04:14:51
