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MICHAEL D HIGGINS says everyone in society has a role to play in preventing suicide; the president has been highlighting the work of suicide charities today – speaking at the opening of a Console conference on the issue in Croke Park .
His remarks follow the publication of a study last week showing that Ireland ranks fourth highest in the EU in terms of death by suicide among young people. The highest suicide rate recorded was amongst men aged 20 to 24, at 31.9 per 100,000 of the population.
“When it comes to suicide, the answers do not lie exclusively with health care professionals, politicians or researchers. Every one of us has a role to play in giving shape to a national community that cares for all its citizens,” President Higgins said.
He spoke of how hardly any community in Ireland had been spared the bewilderment and sorrow that surrounds suicide.
“We know many of those contemplating suicide experience overwhelming emotional pain. Tragically, when someone dies by suicide, pain is not eliminated; it is merely transferred to family, friends and community.”
Depression
He also spoke about the complex issues surrounding suicide, including the problems caused by depression.
“Depression itself can have many roots – from the feeling of helplessness of those who are overwhelmed by financial problems or unmanageable workloads, the loneliness of those without spouse, children or friends or who have lost these supports and intimacies, to the loss of independence affecting older people.”
“Peer loyalty and the pressure to conform, especially pronounced among teenagers, can be another source of malaise feeding into suicidal dispositions,” the President said.
He spoke of research carried out among young, working-class men in the Cork region which had identified a “culture of mocking, drug and alcohol abuse, reckless driving and use of homophobic jargon”.
He said researchers had found that “those who fail to conform to such distorted versions of the ‘expectations of masculinity’” associated with the culture can feel “dangerously alienated and stigmatized”.
Stigma
The President said that the most damaging aspect of stigma, in terms of risk of suicide, is that it can prevent people from talking about their problems, and ultimately from seeking help.
He concluded with a plea for a more open and tolerant society in which people aren’t reluctant to communicate their mental health problems
The test for our society in the future will be the extent to which we have nurtured a culture in which people in distress are encouraged not to feel inadequate and to realise that mental health can be recovered after it has been lost; a culture in which we do not feel embarrassed about our own, or a family member’s, mental health; a culture that embraces difference, non-conformity and the unique contribution of each of its citizens.
Also speaking at the Console conference, organised ahead of tomorrow’s World Suicide Prevention Day, CEO of the charity Paul Kelly called for Ireland to follow the example of Scotland in tackling the issue.
Kelly said that Scotland had managed to reduce its suicide rate by 18 per cent over the past decade, partly as a result of a large scale awareness campaign in the health sector and in wider communities.
He said more “training, targets and commitment” are needed for Ireland to implement a similar strategy, and called for more support for the National Office of Suicide Prevention.
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Bollcks. The financial rape of the mental health services are a stumbling block to suicide prevention. Stop blaming ”stigma”. Cop on.
It all plays a part. Clearly stigma towards mental is an issue too. So his points are valid and are not actually “bollcks”
Mental illness that is
No its not. As someone who has and continues to use our mental health services, they have been absolutely first class. Ive not had to spend anything. Its been brilliant and free.
The headlines about suicide need to change to start reflecting the fact that there is not a stigma attached to suicide anymore and especially suicide prevention anymore. It’s a circular argument to doing nothing and putting the onus on the sufferer to take responsibility for navigating through a stigma.
Well I work in them and I can see things you can’t. The cuts in staff. Promised services not open (like the one I took a job in in January), I can hardly find a pen to write with as ”we only get so many a month”. I’m sure your care was first class, my practice always is as is my colleagues, but to delude yourself about the actual state of mental health services ……..
Less staff, less time with patients make for less therapeutic work which leads to a poor service.
I will agree Anthony, it takes time to get those services. Obviously through lack of staff. But once you are in its first class
A friend of mine went to the A and E a few weeks ago to seek help for suicidal intentions and after waiting 2 hours had enough and went out and killed himself in the carpark. True story.
first class? if youre paying for it, it must be if you have the choice to choose but its very very hit and miss in there HSE
Thats awful Alan, was it a Dublin City Central A&E by any chance? i know in one they have this ‘ridiculous’ system that no matter what, you need to be seen by a physician first, then THEY pass you on to mental health area. I know in Naas General they dont, they call the mental health team right away. Its a joke, youre not physically ill, do they not believe you or something they have to let a physician see you first. The logic, oh the logic. A high suicide risk person is an emergency for mental health unit and should be taken from A&E waiting immediately just like any serious physical condition is acted upon. I mean how many of these are they going to get in one night? Not as many as the drunks who waste time.
It’s only free if you are unemployed, if you are working it is most certainly not free!
I’m delighted to hear our President has highlighted this issue, but for me to little to late, it’s an epidemic in our country personally speaking our current government really don’t care
Paul while I agree with you at least it’s better than nothing
He talks about stigma then today the gov say they will name and shame ppl going for this new bankruptcy. No need of it
The countries paedaphiles are not on any register! Yet when people look for help they are put on a register for all to see. Totally agree with you ! How many people have taken their own lives out of shame! I personally know two many … The banks do indeed have a lot to answer for.
What a phony bastard’ he only passed a bill last month which enabled the banks to speed up repossession? Thats caring about peoples mental health alright??
What a phony bastard’ he only passed a bill last month which enabled the banks to speed up repossession? ”
– Well said . What a ”socialist ” – living in a palace – and passing legislation that put more pressure on people .
If he had any guts – he would have refused .- A Parasite .
And if the Govt . stopped robbing us to pay off their Rich friends mistakes – that would ease the pressure on many .
Pity our wise president doesn’t run the country. He’s much better than all the representatives put together.
Just to make a point its not just people who have financial difficulties who are committing suicide, my brother died in 2009 he was in final year in college and he died the day his exam results were due. He was not on medication for depression and unfortunately we missed the signs, it was shock to us all he had loads of friends and was always smiling. Also from my experience there is some stigma still in this country, only months after my brother died some people said the most insensitive and ignorant things about suicide to me. There will always be ignorant people in this country and unless it happens to them losing someone by suicide they will never understand.
I repeatedly fail to hear that deadbeat dad’s might form part of this research too.
Courts and the legal system have many questions to answer in order to arrive at a realistic conclusion.
He’s all talk,just a figurehead and has no power.
yeah..ok, what would like him to do so?
As long as people say there is a stigma attached to something, there will be a stigma attached it.
Im happy our President is speaking about how suicide is regarded as a stigma among people in Ireland.
It is the silent epidemic. Our media barely touch upon it, and when they do, it is to sensationalise the matter, rather than address the issue accurately and sensitively.
It is not just young men, people with personal problems, or poverty. It is happening all across the spectrum of Irish Life.
I lost another friend to suicide a few months ago. And what struck me was how friends and acquaintances reacted. It was an eye opener for me. Whenever suicide comes up in conversation, the instinctive reaction seems to be: ”Oh we dont want to talk about that! – Sure it is a selfish act”. People felt anger. ”Why did they do it? Why couldnt they have confided in me? Was a regular statement I heard in the days after.
Yes, it is an act very focused on the self, but you cannot judge a person for why they do act. Whatever was their feeling, it is something only they knew, and you cannot analyse why they did it. You will only traumatise yourself trying to fathom their reasons.
Suicide is the last great taboo in Ireland. The only way we can help each other is to be more open as a country, talk to each other, look out for our friends and neighbours. Sometimes you cannot see the signs, not even their families.
It is good to talk, as a famous advertisement used to say.
Mind yourself, mind your friends.
Like he said, we all have a part to play. Us Irish like having the craic but sometimes the boundaries between that and bullying become blurred and even grown adults are guilty of this! When kids start giving lip or bad mouthing other kids it should be stamped out as quickly as possible!
grown adults are for sure for sure guilty of bullying, esp in the workplace and esp right now, both by employees and employers. i want to see it stamped out, i want to see hefty fines with termination of their jobs for bringing untold turmoil and pain onto decent, hard working employees. if you hit someone at work, it deserves a sacking, if you in any way, shape or form, put the health of a fellow employees welfare at risk of illness through their wicked intimidating bullying behaviour, so often denied and hidden from their counterparts, you deserve to be sacked. end of story. employers arent doing enough, so many times they ignore it. it is no different to sexual harassment, its a serious breach.
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.
Thank you president Higgins. People seem to never mention orphans at all. The grief felt is lifelong, and when older and no-one to turn to at all, nowhere to go is so hard to face. The years of it all just wear you down.
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