Thread by @DrAlakbarov

In Japan, government statistics show suicide claimed more lives in October than Covid-19 has over the entire year to date.

The Japanese data could give other countries insights into the impact of pandemic measures on mental health.

npa.go.jp/safetylife/sei…

According to the WHO, Japan has long struggled with one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

In 2016, Japan had a suicide mortality rate of 18.5 per 100,000 people, and almost triple the annual global average of 10.6 per 100,000 people.

While the reasons for Japan's high suicide rate are complex, long working hours, school pressure, social isolation and a cultural stigma around mental health issues have all been cited as contributing factors. #itsokaynottobeokay

But for the 10 years leading up to 2019, the number of suicides had been decreasing in Japan, falling to about 20,000 last year.

However, this year the pandemic appears to have reversed that trend, and the rise in suicides has disproportionately affected women.

In October, suicides among women in Japan rose almost shocking 83% compared to the same month the previous year. For comparison, male suicides rose almost 22% over the same time period.

There are several potential factors for this. Women in Japan make up a larger percentage of part-time workers in the hotel, food service and retail industries -- where layoffs have been deep.

Japan is the only G-7 country where suicide is the leading manner of death for young people aged 15 to 39. And suicides among those under 20 had been increasing even before the pandemic.