“Each year New Zealand loses roughly 660 people to suicide, that is twice as many people as the road toll. We have the heights youth suicide rate in the OECD, it is two and a half times that of Australia.”
Māori do have a high suicide rate, they make up approximately 13% of the New Zealand Population, but 24% of suicides are Māori.
By age the highest suicide rate is men 85+, their rate is 62 per 100,000
The second highest is 20-24-year-olds. Their rate is 36 per 100,000, we often focus on our teen suicide rate, but when your children are between 20-24 they still need lots of support.
The industry with the highest suicide rate is construction their rate is 29 per 100,000, most industries are 8-13 per 100,000.
From: https://coronialservices.justice.govt.nz/suicide/suicide-statistics/
As parents, work on your relationship with your kids and do everything possible to strengthen their sense of identification with the family. Encourage participation in church youth groups, school sports, music, orchestra, or dance classes. Invite your children’s friends over to your house on a regular basis. Make your home the cool place for kids to hang out. Communal involvements of this nature are good buffers against depression, moodiness, and suicidal thoughts.
