 The majority of people who die by suicide are young men |
A project to tackle increasing rates of death by suicide in Argyll and Bute will run for a further two years. Latest figures show 21 people died by suicide in the area in 2004 - an increase of four cases on 2003.
The rate is the second highest in Scotland behind the Highlands and the local authority described suicide as "a significant issue".
The Choose Life project in the area aims to raise awareness of suicide and reduce the rate by 20% by 2013.
That target reflects the national Choose Life strategy, set up in 2003.
In Argyll and Bute, the local authority will spend �166,000 awarded by the Scottish Executive to tackle increasing rates of suicide.
Of the 21 people who died by suicide in 2004, 18 were men and three women.
The increase in Argyll and Bute was reported alongside a 10-year low for Scotland as a whole.
Marie Park, project worker with Choose Life in Argyll and Bute, said: "There's a lot of complex factors involved.
 | Suicides: Argyll and Bute 2004, 21 deaths 2003, 17 deaths 2002, 15 deaths 2001, 15 deaths 2000, 13 deaths |
"Quality of life, poverty, social injustice, bereavement, emotional competence, abuse and relationship problems are just some of the risk factors.
"People feel they have no contribution to make, they feel life is worthless, they feel it is a burden and it is better off not to live.
"It becomes clear that communities are at the heart of starting to tackle this problem."
The project aims to:
- Promote public awareness and encourage people to seek help early
- Coordinate efforts by agencies to develop and implement suicide prevention plans.
- Prevent suicides and train staff in early intervention
- Encourage and support local voluntary services, community based and self help initiatives
Marie Park added: "We're trying to build an ability to cope with suicide.
| Choose Life Newsletter
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"One of the main reasons we have a problem is we don't talk about death and we don't talk about death by suicide.
"How will we know there is a problem if we don't talk about it?
"This is about changing attitudes and it will be a slow process."
Argyll and Bute covers an area of more than 2,700 square miles with a population of about 91,000.
While it accounts for almost 10% of the total land in Scotland, the total population of the region accounts for fewer than 2% of the Scottish total.
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Communities are at the heart of starting to tackle this problem
