An estimated 530,000 people in Japan have attempted suicide in the last year alone according to a nationwide survey of about 40,000 people that the Nippon Foundation conducted on the subject of suicide. (The figure was estimated based on the results showing that 0.6 percent of 40,000 respondents had attempted suicide.)

The survey results that the Nippon Foundation revealed on September 7th also show that over half of those who have attempted suicide within the last year are in their 20s and 30s, and that 25.4 percent of those surveyed answered that they “have seriously considered suicide.”

More than 20,000 people commit suicide each year in Japan – with the highest suicide rate among G7 countries – which gives Japan a reputation of a country with a suicide problem”.

The survey also shows that one in five people had lost someone close to them (including relatives, friends etc.) to suicide. You may have someone around you who has suicidal thoughts and are in the depths of despair, but cannot confide in others.

World Health Organization (WHO) designated September 10th as World Suicide Prevention Day, and Japan has also established Suicide Prevention Week (September 10th -16th). Suicide is not just a Japanese issue. In Belarus, suicide is the second leading cause of death. In South Korea, according to a WHO survey in 2014, there were 28.1 suicides per 100,000 people, Russia 19.5 per 100,000 and France 12.3, as an example. Suicides rose 24% in the U.S. over the period of 1999-2014, and in 2014 were 13 per 100,000 with the rate surging for veterans, with Veteran sources reporting a sad tally of 20 U.S. veterans taking their lives each day. Worldwide, every 40 seconds someone commits suicide (WHO).

Nurture Attitude Toward Suicide Prevention

Different people have different reasons for their attempts to commit suicide.
The survey cites health, family, or financial problems as the main causes for suicide attempts. About 80 percent of those who had attempted suicide said that two or more of these problems had led to their suicide attempt.

The survey also shows that people who have attempted suicide had been exposed to domestic abuse and bullying. The problems both at home and work along with the trauma caused by the abuse and bullying in early life may make many young people consider the option of committing suicide.

If you or people around you feel like dying in the depths of despair, what kind of attitude is useful to stop you or them from committing suicide?

(1) Stop Seeking Perfectionism

We all live in pursuit of success and happiness. Students hope to succeed in academics, while working adults strive for excellence in their careers. While striving for success, they also try to develop a good relationship with others.

In this world, however, there are many things that do not go the way we want, so we all experience failures and setbacks. It is said that those who commit suicide share a tendency to be perfectionists, but please remember that what is really important is trying to live a better life, not a perfect life.

In his books, Master Ryuho Okawa, Founder and CEO of Happy Science Group, says as follows:

(2) Know What Happens If You Commit Suicide

Many people think that if they commit suicide, they will be freed of their suffering. Then, if a person died, what would happen to him/her?

It is very rare for those who commit suicide to enter Heaven. The majority will find themselves at the stage just before Hell. Being unable to understand that they are dead, they carry on living in much the same way as people who are still alive, or they become earthbound spirits and wander around in places such as the one where they died (An excerpt from “Tips to Find Happiness”).

You will regret having killed yourself if you learn the fact that you cannot escape your suffering even if you do commit suicide. If you commit suicide, your suffering will be increasing instead of disappearing. If people learn the truth while living in this world, they may not choose to take their own lives. Even when you suffer so deeply that you feel like dying, it is essential for you to change your way of thinking and never give up on life.

(3) Know the Meaning and Purpose of Being Born in This World

Humans are essentially souls, spiritual beings that dwell within the physical body. The purpose of being born in this world over and over again is to refine our souls and acquire a higher level of spiritual awareness through different kinds of life experiences. Regarding difficulty and hardship as an opportunity for spiritual refinement to strengthen your souls will allow you to see your worries in a different light and think in a positive way.