In Italia, there are 4,000 suicides a year, and suffering amongst young people is on the rise

Every day, 10 people in Italia take their own lives. That amounts to nearly 4,000 a year, predominantly men, of all ages. However, there are worrying signs, particularly amongst young people: within this section of the population, there has been a steady increase in distress and requests for help, to the extent that more than half of those contacting Telefono Amico Italia – the helpline that supports people experiencing emotional distress and potentially at risk of suicide – are under 35 years of age.

These are the figures that have emerged ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September. “There has always been a taboo surrounding this issue, which leads people to avoid talking about it and to hide suicidal thoughts, but this tendency only serves to make the situation worse: talking about it is, in fact, the first step towards prevention,” says Cristina Rigon, president of Telefono Amico Italia. In recent years, the number of enquiries to Telefono Amico – which, in addition to its traditional telephone number (0223272327), now also offers a WhatsApp number (3240117252) and an email address (mail@micatai) – has risen.

In the first six months of 2026, the service received over 4,200 calls, an increase of 24 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. Last year, the total number of requests for help stood at over 7,500, an 8 per cent increase compared to 2024. “Our figures can be interpreted in two ways: whilst on the one hand they are a sign of increasing distress, on the other they show that people are increasingly finding the courage to ask for help,” explains Rigon. Against this backdrop, there is a growing focus on young people.

“Over the last five years, we have been seeing a clear increase in instances of mental distress linked to suicidal thoughts amongst young people,” explains neuropsychiatrist Michela Gatta. “The most effective form of prevention is to identify this distress at an early stage,” she adds.

Be on the lookout, therefore, for warning signs, such as an unexplained drop in academic performance, the onset of marked irritability or sadness, and a loss of interest. Other signs requiring attention include social withdrawal, alcohol or substance abuse, negative self-perception, any self-harming behaviour, explicit references to death, or the sudden act of giving away and organising one’s personal belongings. “For parents, teachers and peers, the key is to take any sudden change seriously, even when the young person plays it down,” concludes the neuropsychiatrist. Meanwhile, ahead of World Mental Health Day, Telefono Amico Italia has extended its telephone helpline service, making it available 24 hours a day. “When you are unable to sleep and are grappling with intense mental anguish or other difficulties that undermine your emotional balance, the suffering can seem even more intense,” observes Maurizio Pompili, Professor of Psychiatry at Sapienza University of Rome. “In these circumstances, being able to ask for help and find appropriate support can make all the difference in preventing suicide.”