Slight increase in suicide last year
Those in the Netherlands in life threatening danger should immediately dial 112 for emergency services. Anyone suffering from depression or contemplating suicide may call 113 Zelfmoordpreventie at any time by dialing either 113 or 0800-0113. Counselors at De Luisterlijn may also be reached at 088-0767000, or volunteers may be reached at one of their local numbers. A list of suicide crisis hotlines outside the Netherlands is available on Wikipedia.
The number of registered suicides in the Netherlands increased by 36 to 1,859 last year. 1,295 men and 564 women took their own lives. That equates to an average of five suicides per day, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported.
The number of suicides among men increased by 5 percent. Among women, it decreased by the same percentage. Men between the ages of 20 and 30, in particular, were more likely to end their lives, with the number of suicides in this age group increasing from 124 in 2020 to 157 in 2021.
The largest group of people who took their own lives were in their fifties. Last year, 304 men and 128 women between the ages of 50 and 60 ended their lives. "This is almost a quarter of all suicides among both men and women," the stats office said. The suicide rate among men in their fifties rose by 10 percent, while it remained stable among women of this age.
At 10.6 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021, the suicide rate has been stable since 2019. According to CBS, the suicide rate was highest in the early 1980s and lowest in the late 2000s. In 1984 it peaked at 14.7 per 100,000 residents, and in 2007 it was lowest at 8.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Reporting by ANP