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Excerpts from article By Hannah Ritchie | Edited for clarity and brevity
Suicide remains a leading global health concern, with over 700,000 deaths each year. In low- and middle-income countries, pesticide self-poisoning is a common method — accounting for an estimated 14% to 20% of all suicide deaths, or roughly 100,000 to 150,000 lives annually.
Evidence from several countries, particularly Sri Lanka, suggests that banning highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) has significantly reduced these fatalities. Sri Lanka, once recording one of the highest suicide rates globally, has seen its suicide rate fall by nearly two-thirds since the 1990s. Research attributes much of this decline to phased bans on specific HHPs, including parathion, endosulfan, and paraquat.
The rationale is simple: when highly toxic substances are removed from easy access, the lethality of suicide attempts drops. Many individuals who survive an initial attempt do not go on to attempt suicide again. Substituted pesticides, while still harmful, are far less fatal — reducing the risk of death even when ingested.
Other countries, including Bangladesh, China, and India, have implemented similar bans with varying degrees of success. However, effectiveness often depends on enforcement, the availability of substitutes, and the prevalence of self-poisoning in each context.
Concerns about the agricultural impacts of such bans — particularly on food production and farmer incomes — are valid. Yet, available data shows no consistent decline in crop yields following targeted HHP bans. Blanket bans on all pesticides, such as Sri Lanka’s temporary 2021 prohibition, have had detrimental effects on food production and farmer livelihoods, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions over sweeping restrictions.
Cost-effectiveness studies estimate that a ban on HHPs in just 14 countries could prevent 28,000 suicide deaths annually at a cost of only $30 million. These findings suggest that, while not a substitute for comprehensive mental health care, restricting access to lethal means is a practical and scalable suicide prevention strategy.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available at findahelpline.com.
Here are several suicide / crisis helpline numbers for various countries. If you tell me which country you need, I can give the number specifically for that place.
🌍 International Helplines by Country
| Country | Helpline / Organization | Phone Number(s) / Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Lifeline Australia | 13‑11‑14 (broglieblog.com) |
| Austria | TelefonSeelsorge | 142 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Belgium | Centre de Prévention du Suicide / Zelfmoordlijn | 0800‑32‑123 (FR) / 1813 (NL) (The Jōrni) |
| Canada | Crisis Services Canada | 1‑833‑456‑4566 (Aimental) |
| China | Beijing Suicide Prevention Hotline | 0800‑810‑1117 (Life As We Perceive) |
| Denmark | Livslinien | 70 201 201 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Finland | MIELI Crisis Helpline | 09 2525 0116 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| France | SOS Amitié / France Suicide Écoute | 09 72 39 40 50 / 01 45 39 4000 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Germany | TelefonSeelsorge | 0800‑1110‑111 / 0800‑1110‑222 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Greece | Klimaka NGO / Suicide Help Greece | 1018 (The MINDS Foundation) |
| Hungary | Suicide Hotline / Magyar Lelki Elsősegély | 116 123 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| India | AASRA | +91‑22‑27546669 (Aimental) |
| Ireland | Samaritans | 116 123 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Italy | Telefono Amico / Telefono Azzurro | 199 284 284 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Japan | Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL) | 03‑5774‑0992 (Life As We Perceive) |
| Luxembourg | Suicide Hotline | +352 45 45 45 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Malta | Appogg Supportline | 179 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Netherlands | 113 / Stichting 113 | 113 (The Jōrni) |
| New Zealand | Lifeline Aotearoa | 0800 543 354 (Life As We Perceive) |
| Norway | Kirkens SOS | +47 815 33 300 (Life As We Perceive) |
| Philippines | Hopeline PH / Samaritan Befrienders HK etc. | (02) 896‑9191 etc. (Life As We Perceive) |
| Portugal | SOS Voz Amiga | 21 354 45 45 (Aimental) |
| Singapore | Samaritans of Singapore | 1800‑221‑4444 (Aimental) |
| South Africa | South African Depression & Anxiety Group (SADAG) | 0800‑567‑567 (Aimental) |
| Spain | Teléfono de la Esperanza | 717 003 717 (Aimental) |
| Sweden | Suicide Prevention Line | 020‑22 00 60 (whitelabeltherapy.com) |
| Switzerland | La Main Tendue | 143 (Aimental) |
| United States | National Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 988 (Aimental) |
🇳🇬 Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI)
📞 0809 111 6264
📞 0811 168 0686
🌐 mentallyaware.org
🕒 24/7 | Free & confidential | Nationwide support
Mental Illness Picture by j4p4n
