In 1990 offici­al statis­tics indica­ted that Finlan­d's suicid­e rate was the second highes­t in the worldVANTAA, FINLAND: When the UN crowned Finland the world’s happiest nation last month for the second year running, there were still quite a few eyebrows raised. How could this Nordic country, better known for its harsh weather and high suicide rate, be the world’s happiest? Although international comparisons are imperfect due to holes in the data, in 1990 official statistics did indeed indicate that Finland’s suicide rate was the second highest in the world, behind Hungary. “If you are depressed in any place in the world, you bear a similar risk of suicide,” Partonen told AFP. Finland tops world happiness rankings: UN“I think that the social connections and how willing you are to seek help and receive help are the most important things here.”Suicides in Finland have now fallen to less than half of 1990 levels.

Source: The Express Tribune April 13, 2019 06:44 UTC