Suicidal Behavior in Somalia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

People in Somalia are highly traumatized due to a long period of political instability, prolonged violence, and humanitarian crisis, leading to a high prevalence of mental disorders. Suicidal behavior in Somalia carries negative cultural connotations, and reports on the prevalence of suicidal behaviors are high skewed. The current legal status of suicide in Somalia is unclear. Some data suggest that the suicide rate among the young population in Somalia is one of the highest in the world. This might be due to the high prevalence of mental illnesses in the country caused by the protracted internal conflicts between different warring groups. Most Somalis consider suicide as any other form of death that is not to be in human control. This indicates that a significant investment must be made to tackle the burden of suicide in this country, particularly among young Somalis.