Surge in suicides in Iraq amid ongoing poor mental health record

Experts are urgently calling for the establishment of awareness and counseling centers to address the increasing suicide rates.

Photographic representation of suicide. (Photo design: Kurdistan24)
Photographic representation of suicide. (Photo design: Kurdistan24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a troubling development, seven suicides have been reported in Iraq over the past 72 hours, highlighting a growing mental health crisis among the population.

Iraqi security agencies attribute this surge to the overwhelming mental fatigue caused by ongoing social, financial, and political crises.

Experts are urgently calling for the establishment of awareness and counseling centers to address the increasing suicide rates.

They emphasize the need for more attention from both the government and non-governmental organizations towards providing psychological support to the population.

Social problems, unemployment, and a deteriorating financial situation have significantly contributed to the rising number of suicides in Iraq.

Media reports of suicides are now a daily occurrence, with the latest incidents distributed across Baghdad and the southern provinces, including four in Baghdad and three in Musana. The majority of those who took their own lives were between the ages of 15 and 30.

Iraqi security agencies have noted that suicides have become alarmingly routine, with daily occurrences of one or more cases. They point to widespread mental exhaustion among citizens, driven by a myriad of crises.

Experts consider the phenomenon extremely dangerous and are calling for the immediate opening of more awareness centers to educate the public about mental health issues.

They stress the importance of government intervention and increased focus on psychological services.

Psychologists identify several factors behind the rising suicides, including psychological distress, social and financial difficulties, political and security issues, and problems related to education and employment.

According to statistics, the suicide rate in Iraq has surged by 175% over the past three years. In the previous year alone, 1,073 people committed suicide in Iraq, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive mental health interventions.

 

Additional reporting by Kurdistan24's correspondent Sarawan Hama Salih