New statistics have shown that Grampian has seen the biggest drop in suicides in Scotland.
There were 79 suicides in the health board area last year, a drop of 14 from a 20-year high of 93 in the previous year.
The north of Scotland is bucking a national trend, showing falling suicide figures in the last year, whereas health boards in the south have seen increases, with 24 more suicides year-on-year in Lothian, 20 in Tayside and 14 in Lanarkshire.
Suicide prevention charity, Choose Life Aberdeen and Aberdenshire coordinator Iain Murray welcomed the reduction.
He said: “While it is good that the number of suicides across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is declining, we are acutely aware that every suicide is a tragedy that has a devastating impact on family members, friends, work colleagues and indeed entire communities. We will continue to work hard to reduce this further.
“It’s also welcome more people in the public eye are now speaking about their own experiences, which can only help to break down barriers and remove the stigma which still surrounds suicide.
“Our digital campaign which includes Facebook adverts, google adverts, and the suicide prevention app have all contributed to reducing the number of suicides and raising awareness of mental health.
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP hit out at the Scottish Government allowing its suicide prevention strategy to expire in December last year.
He said: “Any suicide is a profound tragedy and has a devastating impact on those left behind.
“Replacing the strategy a year after the old one has expired is shambolic. The SNP Government let the mental health strategy rot for 15 months before replacing it.
“Now it has been without a new suicide prevention strategy for seven months, with no word on when its replacement will be published. The cost of inaction is devastating.”
Scottish Labour’s inequalities spokeswoman Monica Lennon MSP added: “Behind the statistics are individuals and families and we must learn from their experiences and personal tragedies.
“The Scottish Government must reassure the public that it is taking the right action and respond to concerns over mental health waiting times, cuts to addiction recovery services and a lack of affordable housing.”
Scottish Conservative mental health spokeswoman Annie Wells said: “These figures reflect hundreds of avoidable personal tragedies that have taken place in Scotland over the last year.
“There can’t be many topics more important than suicide, and that is why everyone in the Scottish Parliament has to work together to make sure help is on hand for those who need it.”