World Suicide Prevention Day: what do the latest EU and Spain figures show?

48,370 people died by suicide in the European Union in 2023, but the mortality rate continues to fall and is now below the level recorded a decade ago. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT That is the picture painted by the latest Eurostat data (source in Spanish), released to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, held every 10 September to raise awareness of this public health issue, tackle stigma and promote prevention. Suicide represented 1% of all deaths recorded in the EU that year. The standardised rate was 10.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with 10.6 in 2022 and 12.2 in 2013. Differences between countries remain significant. Lithuania recorded the highest rate in the EU, with 18.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Slovenia (16.4) and Hungary (16.1). The lowest rates were in Cyprus (3.5), Greece (4.3) and Malta (5.5). Men accounted for 76.4% of all deaths by suicide in the EU. The crude rate was 16.9 per 100,000 men, compared with 5 per 100,000 among women. Mortality also rises with age, reaching 17.3 per 100,000 among people aged 65 and over. Suicides fall for the third year in a row in Spain The latest national figures point in the same direction. In 2025, 3,808 people died by suicide in Spain, 3.7% fewer than in 2024, when 3,953 deaths were recorded, according to provisional data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). (source in Spanish) This marks the third consecutive year of decline since the 4,227 deaths recorded in 2022. In 2025, suicide was the third leading external cause of death in Spain. Among men, however, it was the leading cause, with 2,784 deaths. Spain has an Action Plan for Suicide Prevention 2025–2027, which addresses the issue from a public health perspective. Its priorities include improving the information available, tackling the stigma and myths associated with suicide, strengthening early detection and healthcare provision, and improving coordination between the different sectors involved. The plan (source in Spanish) also focuses on awareness-raising and responsible communication, improving access to support services and preventing suicide among people and groups in situations of particular vulnerability. Breaking the stigma, speaking out and seeking help The World Health Organization (WHO) has dedicated its World Suicide Prevention Day campaign (source in Spanish) to the slogan "Changing the Narrative on Suicide". In 2026, its call to action is "Start the Conversation", aimed at challenging myths and stigma andencouraging people to talk about what they are going through and seek help. For the WHO, changing the narrative also means driving changes in public policy, improving access to quality care and implementing evidence-based prevention strategies. The organisation estimates that more than 720,000 people die by suicide every year worldwide. Seventy‑three percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29 globally. The WHO stresses that asking someone directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not increase the risk and can help them feel understood. The need to make support more accessible is also reflected in the number of people seeking help. The Teléfono de la Esperanza helpline recorded in the first half of 2026 a 10.6% increase in calls related to suicidal behaviour compared with the same period the previous year. Meanwhile, Spain's Guardia Civil police force has used the #PideRefuerzos campaign to draw attention to the warning signs and to the importance of seeking specialist help. One of the public resources available is Line 024, aimed at people with suicidal thoughts or behaviour and at their families and close contacts. In 2025 it handled 204,449 interventions and, according to the Ministry of Health, 40% of calls involved a medium to high risk of suicide. Line 024 is free of charge, confidential and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In the event of an immediate life‑threatening emergency, people should call 112.