More than 48,000 EU residents died as a result of intentional self-harm in 2023, according to the latest Eurostat data — a number that has been slowly dropping over the past decade.
It is equivalent to a standardised death rate of 10.4 per 100,000 people, declining slightly from 10.6 in 2022 and 12.2 in 2013.
The number of deaths by suicide per 100,000 residents was highest in Lithuania (18.8), Slovenia (16.4) and Hungary (16.1).
In contrast, the lowest rates were registered in Cyprus (3.5), Greece (4.3) and Malta (5.5).
“Suicide is complex and most of the time there isn’t one event or factor that leads someone to take their own life,” according to Samaritans, the suicide prevention charity.
“It is usually a combination of lots of different factors interacting with each other to increase risk. A combination of individual, community, and societal factors contributes to the risk of suicide.”
Who is the most affected?
Suicide rates are higher among men than women.
The ratio of the number of suicides during 2023 to the average population was 16.9 per 100,000 men, while it was five per 100,000 women.
Men accounted for 76.4% of all deaths by suicide in the EU, with the share ranging from 70.2% in the Netherlands to 90.3% in Malta.
There isn’t a clear explanation for why suicide tends to affect men so much more than women. However, part of it may be down to the way that certain risk factors for suicide affect men differently from how they affect women, according to Samaritans.
For instance, social expectations placed on men mean that they may be less likely to disclose or seek help for suicidal thoughts or behaviours. Relationship breakdown also increases suicide risk more significantly in men, Samaritans said.
“Other risk factors may be more common in one gender — for example, women are more likely to self-harm than men,” the charity added.
Age is another factor that tends to affect suicide rates, according to Eurostat, with the ratio of the number of suicides to the average population increasing as they get older.
Those who were 65 and older registered a ratio of 17.3 per 100,000 people, while young people under 15 registered a death rate of 0.2 per 100,000 people.
Men had higher rates in all age groups, except among children under 15, where the rates were similar.
What is the EU doing to address mental health issues?
Since June 2023, the European Commission has bolstered its approach to mental health, recognising its link to “social and economic resilience”.
The EU is addressing suicide prevention through a raft of mental health initiatives, backed by more than €1.2 billion worth of investment in EU4Health, Horizon Europe and Erasmus+.
The Commission has also backed member states with teacher training, peer-support models, and tools to detect and respond to mental distress early.
If you are contemplating suicide and need to talk, please reach out to Befrienders Worldwide, an international organisation with helplines in 32 countries. Visit befrienders.org to find the telephone number for your location.