SINGAPORE – There were 476 suicides reported in Singapore in 2022, the highest since 2000.
Non-profit suicide prevention centre Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said in a statement on Saturday that this is a 25.9 per cent increase from 2021’s 378 cases. In 2020, 452 suicide deaths were reported and 400 cases were reported in 2019.
Of the deaths in 2022, 125 involved those aged 10 to 29. This is 13 more than in 2021 and another high since 2000, which marks SOS’ earliest recorded data.
SOS said that more suicides were recorded across all age groups and especially among the elderly, who had the biggest increase. Suicides among those aged 70 to 79 climbed from 30 to 48, a rise of 60 per cent from 2021.
There was a 27 per cent increase in 2022 in the use of SOS services, which include the 24-hour hotline and its CareText WhatsApp service. The service, intended for clients who may be unable to share their experiences over the phone, was added in 2020 to supplement the hotline.
CareText was used 11,107 times in 2022. In the same year, calls for help more than doubled to 27,341 from 11,591 in 2020.
Dr Jared Ng, Connections MindHealth senior consultant and medical director, said that suicide deaths represent the “unseen mental distress” within society, especially among youth and the elderly.
He said: “It is crucial that we remain vigilant to the pressing issues that continue to heavily impact mental health, such as social isolation and loneliness.
“The time is now to double our efforts in early detection and to actively encourage a culture of seeking help and watching out for one another.”
Dr Ong Say How, senior consultant and chief at the Department of Developmental Psychiatry in the Institute of Mental Health, said that parents, educators, healthcare professionals and community workers have to cooperate to form a safety net to prevent these tragedies.
“From efforts to improving mental health literacy, such as knowing the warning signs of distress and the importance of self-care, to teaching peer support skills, we must leave no stone unturned,” said Dr Ong.
He added that young people should be given more guidance on when and where to seek help.
“Collective efforts to address underlying causes, like mental health challenges, social pressures and economic uncertainties, must take priority,” said SOS chief executive officer Gasper Tan.
“We recognise the urgency of the situation and are committed to continue taking proactive steps to address the rising suicide numbers and provide support to those in need.
“Suicide is preventable.”
