Suicide's increasing prevalence in French society

After decades of decline, the suicide rate in France is no longer decreasing; according to a report from the National Suicide Observatory (ONS) published on Tuesday, February 25, in 2022, about 9,200 people died from self-inflicted injuries, a figure that represents an increase of 3.3% in one year.

25 suicides are recorded in France every day, and men continue to commit suicide three times more often than women.

The main reason for this increase is the significant increase in the suicide rate among men over 85 years old, a group that already had the highest suicide rate.

The suicide rate in this group has now reached 86 cases per 100,000 people, an increase of 9 points in one year; This compares to a national average of 13.4 per 100,000 people across all ages and genders.

The report’s authors stress that suicide rates rise with age, with older people, both men and women, being the most likely to die by suicide.

They call for further research into the taboo surrounding suicide among the elderly, as well as attention to the mental health crisis among older people, particularly in an ageing population.

While France is considering legislation on assisted dying, the National Suicide Observatory notes that “the legalisation of euthanasia or assisted suicide could unexpectedly act as a tool for suicide prevention.”

However, in countries where assisted dying laws have been implemented, overall suicide rates have not decreased, suggesting that people who use assisted suicide come from different demographic groups than those who commit traditional suicide.

Significant increase in suicide rates among young women

The National Suicide Observatory (ONS) draws attention to the worrying situation of women under 25 at the other end of the age spectrum.

Although this group has the lowest suicide rate among the general population, their suicide rate almost doubled between 2015 and 2022 and their hospitalizations for self-harm have increased sharply.

In contrast, the suicide rate of men of the same age has remained stable; this trend is linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts and depressive syndromes among a significant group of adolescents and young women since 2014, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

In addition, some of the possible reasons for this increase could include gender-based and sexual violence, etc.

Crisis in the health and social services sector

However, the mental health and social services sector is now in a state of crisis, and the National Suicide Observatory has expressed concern about this.

France is not alone in facing this situation; Among neighboring European countries, the latest data show that in recent years, a trend of increasing deaths from suicide has been observed again, as this report highlights.

In 2021, with a rate of 13.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, France was at the top of the EU average (10.2).

The highest suicide rates are recorded in Eastern and Northern Europe, while Southern European countries are less affected.

This difference may be due to protective factors, including a more favorable climate that reduces the likelihood of seasonal depression; stronger and less fragmented family ties; and deeper religious beliefs that play a deterrent role due to the condemnation of suicide in religious teachings.