1,859 suicide deaths in 2021: 36 more than in 2020

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Three hearts made of copper at a cemetary
© Hollandse Hoogte / David Rozing
Last year, 1,859 people took their own lives. This is 36 more than in 2020. There was a decrease in suicide deaths among women (-31) against an increase among men (+67). The sharpest rise in suicide deaths occurred among men between the ages of 20 and 30. This is reported today by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on the basis of new suicide data.
In 2021, altogether 1,295 men and 564 women died of suicide. This is an average of 5 suicides per day. Suicide incidence among men rose by 5 percent last year, against a 5-percent drop among women.

Over twice as many male suicide deaths

The suicide rate has remained constant since 2019 and stood at 10.6 suicides per 100 thousand inhabitants in 2021. The highest suicide rate was recorded in the early 1980s (14.7 per 100 thousand residents in 1984) while the lowest was registered in 2007 at 8.5 per 100 thousand inhabitants.
Up until the mid-1980s, suicide incidence was rising among both sexes, although the suicide rate among women remained below the rate among men; after that, the female suicide rate dropped more rapidly than the male suicide rate, causing a wider gender gap. In 2021, the female suicide rate was 6.4 per 100 thousand women; the male suicide rate was 14.9 per 100 thousand men, i.e. over twice as high.

Most suicide deaths among people in their 50s

Most suicides are committed by people (both men and women) aged 50 to 59 years. Last year, 304 male and 128 female suicide deaths occurred in this age group, representing almost a quarter of all suicides last year, among both men and women. Suicide incidence among men in their 50s was up by 10 percent last year, but remained stable among women in their 50s. An increase is also seen in the number of suicides among men aged 60 and over (+7 percent), against a decrease (-8 percent) among women in the same age group.

Altogether 56 young people (under the age of 20) died of suicide last year, against 62 in the previous year. The number of suicide deaths among girls fell from 27 in 2020 to 20 in 2021; among boys, it rose slightly instead, from 35 (2020) to 36 (2021).
In the age group 20 to 29 years, the incidence rose from 199 deaths in 2020 to 237 in 2021. This rise occurred solely among men. The number of suicide deaths in this group went from 124 in 2020 to 167 in 2021. Suicide incidence declined among women aged 20 to 29, namely from 75 in 2020 to 70 in 2021.
The suicide rate remained stable among people in their 30s while declining among people in their 40s, men in particular.

Relatively more suicide deaths among older men

Suicide rates fluctuate over time and also depend on the size of the population. If the population size per age category is taken into account, since the 1970s most suicides have been by men aged 80 and over. After peaking in the early 1980s, the number of suicides fell sharply, especially among the over-80s and people aged 60 to 79 years. It has fluctuated among men aged 20 to 59, but remained fairly stable over the last five decades.
Among women, the number of suicides went up in virtually all age groups over 20 years until the mid-1980s, followed by a decrease until 2010. After that, only young women show a slight increase again.

Do you need help? Please contact 113 Suicide Prevention (available 24/7) by calling 0900 0113 or seek help online via 113.nl.

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