Lifeline battles with thousands of calls

Australia's suicide rate has reached a 10-year high, according to new figures released by the Bureau of Statistics.

It's so bad that Lifeline is battling to cope.

The organisation's volunteers answered more than 700,000 calls in the past 12 months, but 160,000 people hung up after being put on hold.

The latest figures show 2535 Australians took their own lives in 2012.

This makes suicide the leading cause of death for males and females aged 15 to 44.

The numbers are "very sad", said Lifeline CEO Jane Hayden.

"The whole community is going to have to work harder than ever to address this preventable problem."

She said it was up to governments, businesses and individuals to ensure no one is made to wait for support in their time of need.

"Suicide is mostly preventable. These grim statistics must lead to action."

The figures show a significant increase in suicides, said Black Dog Institute director Professor Helen Christensen.

"We need to focus more on suicide prevention strategies."

She was particularly concerned about the high proportion of young people who died from suicide.

"For young men it's about 21 per cent of deaths and for young women it is about 32 per cent.

"It is quite shocking. The average age of a person who dies by suicide is 44, compared with the average age of 78 for death by all other causes."

About seven people a day are dying from suicide, said beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell.

That's 37 men and 12 women each week.

"If this many young and middle-aged people were dying in car accidents there would be a national uproar and major government inquiries.

"Behind every one of these deaths is a grieving family and friends who will never be quite the same again because they have been touched by suicide."

People wanting to volunteer to become Lifeline counsellors should email national@lifeline.org.au

*Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.