About 800,000 people commit suicide around the world every single year. A new study shows that there could be a way to reduce these self-inflicted deaths: go to the suicide hotspots.
There are places around the world where committing suicide is frighteningly common. These "hotspots" were studied extensively by researchers, who found that there may be preventative measures that can prevent some deaths, according to Yahoo! News.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people aged 15 to 29, says the World Health Organization. Many of them are drawn to suicide hotspots. These places include San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge, the London Tube and the famous Eiffel Tower.
Researchers studied various factors, including restricted access to these areas, that may reduce the number of suicides committed in these places. Safety nets and barriers, for example, will slow down the suicide process. This increases the chance that the person will reconsider or another party will intervene and stop the suicide, according to The Daily Mail. The research suggests that suicides could be reduced by up to 90 percent if these measures were put into place.
More than 1,600 people have committed suicide at the Golden Gate bridge, which has only been standing since 1937, according to CNN. The study, conducted by University of Melbourne professor Jane Pirkis, gathered data on 18 different suicide hotspots around the world. Around 40,000 people commit suicide in the United States annually.
