Dramatic rise in Polish suicide rate

Photo: Glowimages

The vast majority of the casualties are men.

According to the data, some 7734 people attempted suicide from January to September, about 1400 more than over the same period in 2013.

Some 4744 Poles killed themselves over the aforementioned period, 113 more than in 2013.

The most suicides took place in the Lodz and Swietokrzyskie provinces, and the most common method was hanging. 80 percent of the victims were male.

Lodz police spokesperson Joanna Kacka told the Rzeczpospolita daily that personal financial problems are increasingly causing suicides.

However, psychologist Professor Janusz Czaplinski notes that wealthier nations often have higher suicide rates than Poland, citing the example of Scandinavian countries.

Czaplinski claims that there has been an upsurge in alcohol abuse in Poland, and that alcohol and depression are frequently intertwined. (nh)

Source: PAP