One MILLION SOULS. This death toll must surely parallel the casualty figures for any similar 12 month period in the GREAT WAR of 1914 -1918. But the figure itself is so suspiciously matter of fact: One Million.

Such larger than life numbers are easy to say, but impossible to visualise. We cannot picture one million people. To give us some idea of the scale of this body count, someone calculated that it is equal to the total loss of lives in the 9/11 attack on New York - IF it were to be repeated each and every day of the year! Even that cannot help us to visualise one million of us!

If this figure isn't suspicious enough The W.H.O.s report goes on to authoritatively state that for each and every successful suicide, there were between 10 and 20 failed attempts.

This (we are informed) represents one suicide every 40 seconds, and one attempt every three seconds.

This means that there are more deaths by suicide worldwide than by violence, including all acts of WAR, TERRORISM and MURDER combined. With this in mind, the UNITED NATIONS (1996) appeal for the governments of the World to actually do something appears to have fallen upon deaf ears. As globally, suicide rates are (according to a great many reputable and official sources) continuing to rise.

Time for a reality check!

For a wide variety of reasons the actual number of suicides occurring within the space of one year is simply unknowable - so on what are these official figures based? 

Suicide Statistics

Suicide statistics are intended to provide us with vital insights into the scale, development and circumstances of our suicidal behaviour. This we need in order to assess its impact upon us as a species. This being so, it is essential that these figures be accurate to fulfill their role, or have any meaning whatsoever. With this in mind one would expect them to be above all "accurate and definitive" Unfortunately this is not so!

Any true understanding of worldwide suicide needs to be based upon research into the hard facts of the matter. These facts are required to provide us with vital insights into the scale, spread and circumstances of suicidal behaviour. 

Simply being aware that for whatever reason, and by whatever method. We, (men and women) are taking our own lives and others are attempting to do so (all around our planet) will not help us to reduce our suicide rates.

One crucial piece of information is necessary for us to gain any understanding of the whole picture, this involves obtaining an actual (accurate) figure of the actual numbers involved.

Unfortunately, this is where everything goes pear-shaped. A number of factors combine which render this essential task seemingly impossible.

The first problem area is exposed by asking the simple question

"Who compiles these official global statistics and where do they get their information from?"

Apparently. The World Health Organisation compiles its suicidal statistics from 'cause of death' information provided from 105 countries. However, at present there are 193 possibly 194 countries (if we count TAIWAN) and not 105. Given this enlightening fact, how on Earth can suicide statistics profess to accurately demonstrate the true nature of the problem when they only represent about 54% of the countries on our planet

The next question is;

“On what do these 105 contributing nations base their suicide statistics?”

This information is supplied to governments by coroners. However, as one Australian site pointed out; there is often a delay in resolving cases before the Coroner. Consequently, available statistics are normally two or three years old.

The insurmountable problem faced by Coroners worldwide, is the fact that the only party who can prove whether the death was suicidal or not, will not be present, he or she is dead. They will not be attending the hearing.  All else is surmise based upon a gut-feeling.