Suicide in Spain: 90,000 deaths in 25 years, a silent epidemic

90,000 suicides in 25 years: the epidemic we ignore

Did you know that more than 10 people die by suicide every day in Spain, with hardly any media coverage? Official data from the INE (Spain's national statistics institute) count 90,000 deaths by suicide between 2000 and 2024, of which 68,000 were men and 22,000 women. The gender gap is overwhelming: three men for every woman. The figures are also considered conservative: experts point out that underreporting is constant, especially in cases where suicide is disguised as an accident or overdose.

The absence of public debate contrasts with the scale of the phenomenon. More than 3,600 deaths a year – equivalent to ten a day – receive nowhere near the attention generated by other causes of death with lower incidence. Among the factors considered to explain male rates are the greater lethality of the methods used, a lower willingness to seek help, and the social pressure that links success with strength. On the other hand, financial hardship – mortgages, precarious employment, lack of prospects – appears as a recurring trigger in the accounts of survivors or in the notes left by those who died.

Meanwhile, institutional silence remains the norm. Perhaps because the real silent killer is the lack of questions. If this article has affected you, remember that help is available: the Teléfono de la Esperanza (024) answers calls 24 hours a day.