Fahd Al-Manaee
Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — More women than men have attempted to commit suicide in the Makkah province, according to psychologists.

Women use less violent means to end their life such as overdosing on pills while men tend to kill themselves with knives and guns or by jumping from high places.

The psychologists noted that even high-class and educated members of society made attempts on their own lives. Data on suicide attempts that have been committed over the past few years revealed that different age groups were just as likely as each other to try and commit suicide.

Dr. Tareq Al-Bar, the director of Makkah Mental Health Hospital who is also a psychology specialist, said the hospital did not have official statistics about the number of people who committed or attempted suicide.

This is due to the fact that families prefer to keep things under wraps and claim that any relative who tries to kill himself or herself has fallen from a high place or had an accident, for example.

“Statistics can be found with security authorities and forensic departments,” Al-Bar said.

He cited some reasons that made people think about suicide. These included a low sense of religion, a refusal to accept one’s fate, depression and obsessions.

Salim Al-Mafraji, chair of the psychology department at Umm Al-Qura University, said suicide rates have risen to alarming levels.

He attributed the causes to poverty and social pressure.