Suicide in Lithuania


Suicide in Lithuania has become a significant social issue in the country due to its high rate. Despite constantly decreasing since its peak in 1995, the suicide rate in Lithuania remains the highest in the EU and the OECD. The suicide rate as of 2017 is 26.4 suicides per 100,000 people.

Causes

Social and financial problems in Lithuania are thought to be important factors behind the high rate of suicides. According to Onutė Davidonienė, director of the State Mental Health Center, a major reason behind the dramatic rise in suicides over the last decade is the economic and social transition. This can be linked to the Russian economic crisis of 1998 which was prolonging the phenomenon in Lithuania.
The suicide rates differ significantly between certain municipalities. The suicide rate in Kupiškis district municipality is more than two times higher than the national average as of 2017. Other municipalities with particularly high suicide rates are Varėna district municipality and Kalvarija Municipality. In contrast, the numbers were the most modest in Palanga City Municipality, followed by Vilnius City Municipality and Plungė district municipality.

Statistics

According to a web page on world health ratings, in 2014 almost 29 out of 100,000 people in Lithuania committed suicide. In contrast, according to a report of the World Health Organization, in 1995 this number peaked at almost 46 out of 100,000.

Notable people who died by suicide in Lithuania