On 10 September 2025, Sri Lanka joins the world in observing World Suicide Prevention Day, first established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The day is dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and emphasizing the urgent message that suicide is preventable.
The global theme for 2024–2026, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” calls for moving beyond silence and stigma toward a culture of openness, understanding, and support. It also highlights the need for stronger mental health policies, wider access to services, and evidence-based interventions that can save lives.
Suicide remains a pressing global challenge, claiming more than 700,000 lives each year and ranking as the fourth leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29. In Sri Lanka, significant progress has been made since the 1990s through bans on highly toxic pesticides, yet the country still records higher-than-average suicide rates. In 2022, police statistics showed an overall rate of 15 per 100,000 population, with men far more affected than women. Hanging has now become the most common method, accounting for nearly 70 percent of cases.
Particularly troubling are recent findings from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey 2024, which revealed that many Sri Lankan adolescents are struggling with serious mental health concerns. Among students aged 13 to 17, more than one in five reported loneliness, while almost 18 percent experienced persistent depression. Alarmingly, 15 percent had seriously considered attempting suicide during the past year, and nearly one in ten reported an actual attempt, with higher rates among girls than boys. These figures are compounded by academic stress, bullying, cyberbullying, and limited use of adolescent-friendly clinics, which suggests barriers to seeking help and ongoing stigma around mental health.
The causes of suicide in Sri Lanka are complex, reflecting both social and health-related challenges. Economic insecurity, unemployment, alcohol misuse, domestic violence, and untreated mental health conditions weigh heavily on families and individuals. For young people, isolation, academic pressures, and limited support systems add to the risks.
In response, WHO and the Ministry of Health have worked together to implement the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, focusing on training health workers and youth counsellors, supporting teachers and media in responsible reporting, and strengthening the national mental health helpline (1926). Regional commitments, such as the Paro Declaration, also emphasize community-based approaches and multisectoral action to reduce suicide rates and expand access to care.
Every suicide leaves deep scars on families and communities, but timely and compassionate interventions can prevent these tragedies. As Sri Lanka observes World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, the findings from the school health survey serve as a reminder of the urgent need to invest in prevention, expand youth-focused services, and foster supportive environments at home, in schools, and in communities. Changing the narrative on suicide is essential to break the silence, challenge stigma, and protect lives for a healthier, more resilient future.
International Association for Suicide Prevention- Changing the Narrative on Suicide - IASP
World Mental Health Report (who.int)