With all the challenges going on in recent times, it is easy to feel despair and wonder if ever there will be better days ahead. The rising cost of food, services, fuel, high unemployment rates, and family crises just to mention a few, can get a person to really worry.

Well, while some are able to shrug off such stressful occurrences and move on in life, others are unable to. They resort to other methods to aid in their distress.

This drives us to the topic of discussion; Suicide and self-harm!

What are suicide and self-harm?

According to WHO, Self-harm is when somebody injures or harms themselves to cope with or express extreme emotional distress and internal turmoil. They do not exactly intend to kill themselves, but the outcome can be devastating. Examples of self-harm include trying to poison oneself by taking too many tablets (medicines or something harmful), cutting or burning, banging your head against objects, and punching or hitting yourself against something hard. Most often, people who self-harm do not really plan to kill themselves.

Suicide on the other hand is the act of intentionally carrying out an action to kill oneself.  It is said that every year almost 800 000 people commit suicide, which equates to one person every 40 seconds. It is sad to learn that many more people attempt suicide. Sadly, every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities, and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind. Suicide can occur at any age.  It was the second most common cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds around the world in 2016.