Highest suicide rates - Lithuania on the first place !

I think your comparison is not completely valid, because both the USSR and the USA behave like state imperialists towards external countries.

However, internally, none of them maintained country/language specific nationalism. Only the EU does. State capitalism has the power to kill your soul. Monopoly capitalism only robs you blind, but doesn't kill your soul. An example could be France, where trade monopolies cornered the country before the 1789 revolution, but the people still had their identities. Then the revolution added state capitalism to it, and since then, everyone is only french now. (Dead, assimilated borgs.)

 

It's not hard to conclude why Lithuanian males commit suicides massively. Observing the behavior (stupid and childish) of a certain poster from Lithuania who is so obsessed with gays( maybe he has that complex of pederasty and tries to hide it by simple attacking them in order of creating false impression among other posters), combined with psychopathic personality we have the key answer to SUICIDE ENIGMA which rules over Lithuania ..
It seems that gay complex and erectile dysfunction are the main reasons why Lituanian (she)males kill themselves !!

Lithuania's Suicide Epidemic
*****************

On the threshold of joining the EU and NATO, Lithuania has the highest suicide rate in the world. It's doubled in the last 10 years, overtaking former record holders such as Hungary, and leaving other Baltic States behind.

Looking at the economic figures, the country is doing very well - over 5% GNP growth - the capital, Vilnius, has become smart and chic, the country has reclaimed its language and culture since independence. But suicide indicates the hidden truth: that the transition from soviet times to the first phase of capitalism is proving deeply traumatic.

At night on patrol with police we see how they rush to save a 20 year old man from trying to kill himself by jumping off a bridge in the centre of Vilnius - a popular location for suicide attempts. At the police station we talk to the man, Evaldas Kric, and to the doctor who arrives to see him. This is the second night in a row he has tried to commit suicide. The previous night he was taken to hospital, but was discharged immediately.

Dr Dainius Puras, a leading psychiatrist, and co-author of Lithuania's emergency suicide bill, describes the state of suicide in Lithuania: "It's an epidemic," he says. If it wasn't suicide, but an infectious disease that was killing over 1500 people a year (30 a week, in a population of only 3.7m), the government would spend millions, he says. As it is, the suicide bill has been shelved. "There is a lot of cynical thinking in Eastern block countries. That it is maybe better to let the weak die," says Dr. Puras.

Dr. Kristina Ona Polukordiene, director of the leading psychological helpline in Vilnius blames the sensationalist coverage of suicide in the Lithuanian press for confusing the issues and even increasing the suicide rate. On the other hand, officially the "epidemic" has only just been recognised - even though official figures showing the extremely high rates have been available for several years. The deputy health minister, Vidmantas Zilinskas tells us: "Most of our specialists didn't believe the numbers. Now they realise it is true, and we are starting to do something about it." But the old state system is slow to react, so far preferring to spend money on drugs than on the social measures Puras and others say are needed.

In the countryside, where the rates are twice as high, we visit the adoptive family of a 17 year old, Marius, who hanged himself in the village graveyard. We talk to his classmates in the local school to witness the emotional impact that suicide leaves in its wake, and to understand why suicide has risen fast amongst the young. At the other extreme in Vilnius, a young and successful TV executive tells us how some make it on to "the fast-moving train", and some don't.

Joining the EU should be a source of optimism - but in the short term at least for many it is a threat: the EU is forcing the closure of the huge nuclear plant at Visaginas, twice the size of Chernobyl. Layoffs amongst the 4,500 workers have already started. The plant's General Director tells us that no money has been set aside to deal with the social effects, which are already being felt in the depressed town built for the nuclear workers.

Unless the EU helps Lithuania take notice of its own mental health problems there will be a lot of "sad and angry people", a problem not only of health, argues Puras, but of European security.

We go to the psychiatric hospital where 20 year old Evaldas Kric was taken. We find out he has been discharged - an example of how thin the resources for treating suicide cases are. Evaldas Kric is one of many living on the edge in the new Europe.

 

Sad to hear those facts as myself came from Lithuania and yes we got high suicide rates. Somebody wrote because of crisis of capitalism is neoliberal policies in Lithuania life is not that sweat in here. As well hanging and harming was so popular even in Soviet Times I do know many friends ended tragic lives, some whom came back from prisons split in up with lovers and many other reasons, I do remember the was massive suicidal rates when soviet union ended, citizens could not afford pay the builds and support own families, so yes most of the main problem is capitalism crisis. Is more to that is massive migration most of young people leaving,so country is not that nice if we wish to get out.
Is confusion amongs the population older generations would not know which way to go, or go back to Soviet Times or to be liberal and allow to system go like that.

 

The solution for Lithuania's problems would be to give the southern 50 % of the country back to Poland. In Poland, even older people know that young people need food and shelter too. Lithuanian civilization is just not advanced enough to arrive at such realizations. (So Lithuanian people will have to continue to commit their suicides.)

 

This is very strange to hear "helpful" advices to Lithuania from the man who had never been in Lithuania

 

I think your post is too reactionary, why Lithuania has to give up own lands to Poland is that imperialist thoughts? Is nonsense. Baltic States should follow socialist ideas, eh capitalism is sucks as well in Poland.

 

I am not sure if I understand your post, because wasn't it the Soviet Union that modified Poland's border with Lithuania right at the beginning of ww2 in 1939? (After the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact?) How is the restoration of an old border imperialist?

 

But ... I saw beautiful pictures of places in Lithuania, as well as pictures of Lithuanian girls. So I can be helpful, right?

 

Ultimately, I think, it's a matter of what you might call 'social capital', namely having enough people who care about others and are prepared to help them. The deeply unfortunate experience of some to the states which lived with Stalinist cynicism followed by robber barons cut that down to a minimum, so there are not enough people left to form a nationally-functional Samaritans group, for instance, such as that which held back the rise of suicide in the UK. In the US there is a high level of social capital but a desperately-reactionary ideology which limits it dreadfully.

Spt5 - I think we have similar views about French Revolution and such but explain agreed things differently.

 

you don't have much to say about albanian girls? LOL

 

It is also very strange from you or other Russians who write about the Republic of Kosovo albeit the fact they have never been in my country !

 

Albanian girls are very beautiful. If we consider the fact that we are a small nation, the beauty girls are a majority if compared to others.

 

http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/21/11/716.full.pdf

 

Why Do So Many Lithuanians Commit Suicide?

1. Lithuania, a dramatic success story in so many ways, is the suicide capital of Europe, with 40 suicides per 100,000 residents each year. Teens and middle-aged men are most at risk. The bustling economy and expanded social protections have failed to lower the suicide rate, which has been steady for the past 10 years (reftel). The GOL has developed promising strategies to attack the problem, but they remain unimplemented because of a lack of funding and intragovernmental coordination.

2. Thirty-eight per 100,000 boys commit suicide in Lithuania, the highest rate among the 35 European and Eurasian countries surveyed by the WHO. Lithuanian State Mental Health Center data indicate that 33% of school pupils consider committing suicide, and 5% attempt it. The number of suicides among adolescents 15-19 years has fluctuated but remained high (56 in 2001, 66 in 2002, and 49 in 2003).
3. According to the State Mental Health Center, suicides among youngsters are driven by conflicts at home and school. A study notes that 33% of pupils complain that they are being bullied and teased, 20% that teachers tease them, 13.4% that they are beaten up or abused at school, and 12% that teachers abuse them. Schools offer lectures on the harm associated with drug use, but not on bullying and intolerance. Boys develop aggressiveness towards society at large as well, which results in juvenile crime. Fifty-five percent (55%) of juvenile offenders surveyed by the Ministry of Interior live in broken families.
4. Currently about 14,000 children live in state institutions such as orphanages, giving Lithuania one of the highest rates of institutionalization in Eastern Europe. The problem manifests itself when these children reach the age of 17 years and enter society. Having no family and no societal support, they often become criminals or victims.
5. A lack of societal tolerance and increasing drug use also appear linked to suicide. According to a WHO- funded study, only 42% of Lithuanians think tolerance in marriage is important. Children, seeing intolerance at home, don't exercise tolerance at school. Some of them succumb to depression and resort to suicide. The increased availability of narcotics in Lithuania (imported and domestically produced) combined with socio- economic problems has led to the increased consumption of narcotics and to alcohol and chemical substances abuse by adolescents. Surveys completed in 1995 and 1997 (in Vilnius among students aged 15-16) showed a rise in illicit drug use from 3.2% to 26%.
6. he second group at risk for committing suicides is the rural male population of Lithuania. High poverty in rural areas fosters social problems including alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, and crime. In Lithuania, the suicide rate in rural areas is double that in urban areas (59 to 31 per 100,000 in 2004). Rural males are particularly vulnerable, killing themselves at an annual rate of 104 per 100,000, versus the female rate of 18 per 100,000.
7. The main reason behind the rural suicide rate is unemployment and poverty. While the economic situation in Lithuania has improved dramatically -- from 1996 to 2004, real GDP per capita doubled -- poverty remains, and regional disparities have increased. Overall poverty in Lithuania peaked at 18% in 1996 and has remained fairly constant, standing at 15.9% in 2003. The poverty rate in rural areas was 27.4% in 2003 compared to 10.3% in urban areas.
8. The rural poverty rate primarily reflects the transitional farm economy that, according to the Statistics Department, employs 17% of Lithuanian workforce. Based on respective employment statistics, there are more farmers in Lithuania than in the United Kingdom. In Lithuania, agriculture provides only 6.1% of GDP. Transitioning this workforce to more productive sectors is a difficult and resource-intensive task, complicated by alcoholism, a lack of training, and minimal employment opportunities in rural areas outside of agriculture. The migration of young and skilled Lithuanians from rural to urban areas also hampers economic opportunities for at-risk populations. Health officials estimate that 50% to 80% of suicides are committed under the influence of alcohol in rural areas.
...

Analyzing this, I came to the conclusion why some poster(of this forum) from Lithuania- who suffers from logorrhea and mental disorder may be the next person to commit suicide !!!

 

Analyzing this, I came to the conclusion why some poster(of this forum) from Lithuania- who suffers from logorrhea and mental disorder may be the next person to commit suicide !!!

If this reply to me as myself from Lithuania highly doubted. The article is quite accurate and thanks for that. Yes Lithuania segregated country since of fall Soviet Union. I see most of problem government distance from entire society and is pain believe me is big pain. Media playing big role to help even more on depress older or young population. I tell you when my mother was in life, since end of Soviet Union she become heavy drinker and depress and complicated lady, before she died she told me "I want Stalin back" to sort it out country.
Life is sucks in Lithuania because or right wing policies.

 

What of equatorial country of Guyana? it has a very high rate. My guess is that it is so hot and humid there people just do not want to live.

And the rate in iceland is not very bad. Finland is not that high either, but finns often take vacations to sunnier countries and can afford to do so.

My guess is that winters certainly do have a big effect on suicide rate, but there are other important factors also, including standard of living and family support. And suicide rate is not always a predictor of standard of living. In some countries (Mexico and Pakistan) people are too busy trying to survive to think about suicide (or some would argue just blissfully unaware of how bad they have it)

 

I consider that European Union should implement a massive project on analyzing the facts that lead to epidemic suicides in this land.
Only people without trust in God and moral values are keen to end their lives. Depersonalized individuals with huge deficit of moral background, anti-social traits and psychopathic mentality comprise majority of Lithuania.

Funny clowns from this land are frequenting this forum !!!!

 

Lithuanians are such a low moral creatures !

 

It is a sin to commit suicide... but for this crazy nation called Lithuanians this has became a routine and national custom !!!

 

Anybody seen litwin ?

I am getting worried he might follow example of his fellow countrymen !

 

it is still a mystery, why Lithuanians end their lives in such miserable way ! maybe litwin could tell us more ??

 

Epidemic of suicide by hanging in Lithuania: does socio-demographic status matter?

Starkuviene S, Kalediene R, Petrauskiene J
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Kaunas University of Medicine, A. Mickevicius St 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania. smante@centras.lt
Public Health [2006, 120(:769-775]
Type: Journal Article
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2006.04.009

OBJECTIVE: To analyse suicide by hanging, compared with other methods, by demographic and selected social factors in Lithuania, and to evaluate changes during 1993-1997, and 1998-2002.

METHODS: Data on committed suicides were compiled from the Lithuanian Department of Statistics. Suicides were identified by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD): codes in ICD-9 E950-E959 and codes in ICD-10 X60-X84. These were categorized into seven groups by method of suicide. Particular attention was paid to suicide and self-inflicted injury by hanging, strangulation and suffocation (ICD-9: E953; ICD-10: X70). These data were analysed by gender, age, place of residence, education, and marital status.

RESULTS: A total of 8324 suicides (6864 men and 1460 women) were committed during 1993-1997, and 7823 suicides (6455 men and 1368 women) during 1998-2002. Of all registered suicides in Lithuania during 1993-2002, hanging was the most common method. Over the period under investigation, hanging, in proportion to all other methods used to commit suicide, increased statistically significantly from 89.4% among men and 77.3% among women between 1993 and 1997 to 91.7% among men and 82.6% among women between 1998 and 2002. The most noticeable rise occurred among girls aged 10-19 years. The next most common methods among men were firearms and poisoning; among women, poisoning and jumping from high places were common methods. Hanging predominated in men, older people, rural residents and people with low levels of education. A logistic regression analysis showed that gender (odds ratio [OR]=2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-2.7), place of residence (OR=2.0; 95% CI 1.8-2.2) and education (OR=1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.3), independently of other factors, had the strongest influence on the choice of hanging as the method of suicide between 1993 and 2002. Age had only a minor effect, and marital status had no significant effect on choosing hanging to commit suicide.

CONCLUSIONS: Hanging is the most common method of suicide in Lithuania. The popularity of this highly lethal method may be one of the underlying causes for the high rate of committed suicides. Universal approaches to suicide prevention deserve serious consideration, especially challenging the social acceptability of hanging among men, older people, rural residents, and low educated groups of the population in Lithuania.

 

Lithuania has the world’s highest suicide rate !!!

Latest statistics from the World Health Organization show that Lithuania again is on top when it comes to suicides – with 61,3 men 10,4 women per 100,000 inhabitants deciding to end their lives this sad way – annually.

Dainius Puras, a Lithuanian psychiatrist, explains how it is the uncertainty and unpredictability of the economic situation that have such a detrimental effect: "People don't like change,” he says, referring to Lithuania’s 20-year period of dramatic social and economic change since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991”.

He describes the reaction to freedom in 1989: "Many people could not manage to cope with this change, with this huge societal stress . . . [they] regressed to destructive or self-destructive behaviour." The stress, he says, prompted an unprecedented crisis of mortality, one that still exists. In Lithuania, with a population of just three million, 5,000 people die every year because of "external causes" - suicide, homicide, violence. He describes it as an epidemic.

Lithuania - a prophetic microcosm of the global crisis?
Puras sees Lithuania's experience as a prophetic microcosm of the global crisis: a society undergoing enormous stress because of the effects of a toxic system, culminating in an “explosion" in the form of a financial crisis. He also points out a strange trend: the more severe the threat to human life, the better societies and individuals seem to fare in their mental health. "History shows that when it is a real crisis like war, or when people are starving, there is a huge decrease in mental health problems, including suicide. During the war you have to survive physically; existential problems are not so important. Suicide is mainly the price we pay for civilisation."

Figures for the UK support his theory - during the First World War, the suicide rate dropped to 8.5 per 100,000. It then leapt to 13.5 in the interwar years, and fell again during the Second World War to 9.2. Immediate, life-threatening crisis, Puras says, creates a sense of purpose: there's not as much time to worry about yourself.

( From an article in “New Statesman”, by Sophie Elmhirst)

http://vilnews.com/2012-03-lithuania-has-the-world’s-highest-suicide-rate-2