It is an unfortunate reality that suicide is one of the leading causes of death across the globe. One in every 100 deaths is attributed to suicide. There are many factors that influence the rate of suicide worldwide. On a personal level, suicidal risk factors include a history of mental illness, substance abuse, chronic pain, current or prior history of childhood trauma, criminal or legal issues, job loss, bullying, loss of relationships, social isolation, and violence. On a societal level, suicide risk factors include lack of access to healthcare, suicide clusters within the community, stress, discrimination, community violence, stigma associated with mental illness, and easy access to lethal means of suicide. This infographic explores suicide rates for 182 countries around the world. Which country ranks highest for suicide? Lesotho suffers from the highest suicide rate in the world with 87.5 suicide deaths per 100,000 people each year. Lesotho has experienced decades of suffering caused by the AIDS epidemic, which contributes to an overall sense of hopelessness and despair. Employment opportunities are severely limited, gender-based violence is rampant, and there is strong societal stigma against seeking help. All of these factors feed into the tragic suicide crisis in Lesotho.
