THE NUMBER of suicides in Scotland increased last year, according to official statistics published yesterday.
There were a total of 784 probable suicides in the country in 2018, the highest number since 2013, and a 15% rise on the 680 in 2017.
According to the statistics, 96 of the suicides were by people under the age of 25, the highest level since 2011 and up from 64 the year before.
581 of the deaths, around 73%, were men, compared to 203 women, and most of those men were aged between 35 and 54.
Just under a fifth of all deaths of men aged between 35 and 44 in Scotland (823) was by suicide.
Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison was one of those men.
The troubled 36-year-old musician’s body was discovered in Port Edgar, near South Queensferry in May.
Billy Watson, of mental health charity SAMH, said the country needed to “redouble” efforts “to deepen our understanding of the causes of suicide, so we can help everyone who needs it”.
He added: “After a number of years in which we saw an overall downward trend, it is devastating news that significantly more people died by suicide in Scotland last year than in the year before.”
Between 2014 and 2018, the probable suicide rate was three times higher in the most deprived areas when compared to the least deprived areas of Scotland.
Scotland appears to have had a higher suicide rate than the UK overall since the early 1990s.
Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said there had been some progress over the past 20 years, and promised to reduce the rate of suicide by 20% in the next three years: “Any suicide is a tragedy and my heartfelt condolences go out to the friends and families of those who have been affected by the loss of a loved one.
“An increase in deaths by suicide last year is concerning and is sadly reflected in other parts of the world, too.”
She added: “Scotland is not alone in tackling suicide prevention and we will undertake more research to establish the under-lying reasons for the increase in 2018.
“Suicide prevention is everyone’s business and we will continue to do more in collaboration with the NHS, local authorities, the third sector and communities to save lives and reduce the rate of suicide by 20% by 2022.”
Scottish LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Vulnerable people have been completely and utterly let down by this Government with the most horrendous consequences.”
Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells said the SNP Government had to “take full responsibility for failing to address this issue”.
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