A call to health policymakers for new directions in suicide prevention and research

A call to health policymakers for new directions in suicide prevention and research Konrad Michel, Professor Emeritus and suicide researcher, argues for a shift away from the traditional medical model of suicide prevention and emphasizes the need to reach the many who don’t see their suicidal thoughts as a mental health issue. The WHO reports over 720,000 suicides worldwide each year. Suicide rates are declining in some countries; in others, they keep rising. National suicide prevention programs have been established in low, middle, and high-income countries. Still, it is virtually impossible to evaluate their effect, apart from specific public health-directed measures, such as means restriction and improved reporting of suicide in the media. (1)