If at any point you feel worried about harming yourself while viewing the information on this website – or if you think someone else may be in danger – please stop reading and seek help.
Important points to remember about deaths by suicide:
Each statistic represents a person – with a family and community grieving for their loss
Although it is a relatively rare cause of death – in 2022, 1.7% of all deaths registered were by suicide – it can have devastating and long-lasting effects on those left behind.
The reasons people take their own life are complex
Suicide can affect anyone – regardless of their personal characteristics and family background – but some populations are at greater risk. There is also no single reason why a person chooses to end their life – the reasons are often complex. For information on risk factors see Behaviours and risk factors.
Deaths by suicide are preventable
Monitoring the number, trends and rates of suicide in Australia is key to understanding who is at risk and for the planning and targeting of suicide prevention activities.
It is our endeavour that by bringing together various data sources we can strengthen the evidence base to build a more coherent picture of suicide and self-harm in Australia in order to improve the effectiveness of suicide prevention.
