By Catherine McGeer

Copyright euroweeklynews

SHOUT for Help

THE Region of Murcia has launched a new care protocol designed to prevent suicide and improve mental health support. Called Código Riesgo Suicida (Suicide Risk Code), it was developed by mental health professionals to provide a quick and coordinated response for people at risk of self-harm.

How the system works

The protocol will be applied in mental health centres and emergency services, ensuring early detection and ongoing treatment. It is aimed at people who have attempted suicide or who show clear signs of risk. Patients will receive continued support, from psychiatric assessment to follow-up care in mental health centres.

Part of a wider mental health strategy

This programme is part of the Mental Health Improvement Strategy 2023–2026 and will begin rolling out this month across the regional mental health network, with progressive expansion to hospitals. Alongside the protocol, a new website, Prevención Suicida (Suicide Prevention), has been launched on Murciasalud to guide patients and families toward urgent resources.

Suicide rates in Murcia

In 2024, 105 people died by suicide in the Region of Murcia, 13 fewer than the year before. The suicide rate was 6.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest in 11 years and below the national average. Around 70 per cent of cases involved men.

Spain: national suicide data & trends

In 2022, there were 4,227 confirmed suicides in Spain, up from 4,003 in 2021, an increase of about 5.6 per cent.

In 2023, the number dropped to 4,116 suicides, 111 fewer than in the previous year, a decline of about 2.6 per cent.

Deaths by suicide are now the second leading cause of external (non-disease) deaths in Spain, overtaken by accidental falls in 2023.

Around 70 per cent of suicides involve men. In 2023, out of 3,952 provisional suicide deaths, 2,952 were men and 1,275 women.

Among young people (< 25 years old), there was a drop in suicide deaths in 2023 for the first time in several years, for example, 203 under-25s died by suicide, which was 15 fewer than in 2022 Youth campaign relaunched To reach young people, the regional health department has relaunched Grita! (Shout!), a campaign targeting 14–18 year-olds. A mobile unit is also touring the region’s 45 municipalities to bring mental health support to teenagers. Support for families Support programmes are also in place for families who have lost loved ones, with the involvement of associations such as Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope). Where to find help in Murcia and across Spain If you or someone you know is struggling, there are several confidential services available. In Murcia, you can call the Teléfono Municipal de Salud Mental on 900 10 79 13 during weekdays to speak with trained professionals, or reach out to the Federación Salud Mental Región de Murcia on 968 23 29 19 for advice and support. Spain’s national Línea 024 is a free, 24-hour hotline run by the Ministry of Health for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, and can connect callers to local health services. English speakers can also contact Samaritans in Spain on the freephone 900 525 100 (landlines) or 634 325 906 (mobiles), or email pat@samaritansinspain.com for confidential support. For those outside Spain, the UK Samaritans are available 24/7 at +44 330 094 5717 (international rates apply).