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The number of people self-harming in Ireland is continuing to rise

A conference will be held next month to raise awareness of how to tackle self-harm.

PARENTS AND TEACHERS have been urged to educate themselves around the subject of self-harm, as figures show that the number of people harming themselves is rising every year.

Latest figures from the National Suicide Research Foundation for 2015 showed that self-harming was on the rise in Ireland.

The rate of self-harm incidents among women and girls in Ireland was 222 per 100,000 in 2015 – up 3% on the previous year.

The figures also show that the self-harm rate among men and boys was 186 per 100,000 in 2015 – a 1% increase on the previous year, and a 15% increase since 2007.

The peak rate for females was in the 15-19 years age group at 718 per 100,000, whereas the peak rate among males was in 20-24 year-olds at 553 per 100,000.

Self-harm is defined as:

Self-injury or self-poisoning irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act.

Acts of deliberate self-harm are more common in young people, with research showing it affects one in every five to ten adolescents.

They can also be a significant indicator of someone taking their own life. A 1999 study in the British Journal of Psychiatry looking at 174 suicides of people under the age of 25 found that 80% of people had self-harmed in the past year.

A separate 2014 study found that despite 40-60% of people who die by suicide having self-harmed in the past, the issue of how to care for people who do self-harm is not well understood.

“Alarming”

In light of these figures, St Patrick’s Mental Health Services and suicide prevention charity Pieta House have issued a warning to parents, school-teachers and caregivers to educate themselves on the dangers of self-harm.

“The increase in rates of self-harm among adolescents over the last number of years is worrying and yet we’re just not talking about it as a society,” said Paul Gilligan, CEO of St Patrick’s.

Dr Paul Surgenor, director of research with Pieta House, described the rate of self-harm in Ireland as “alarming”.

“The figures from the National Research Foundation are alarming but what is even more concerning  is the fact that these figures are only based on hospital presentations,” he said.

It has been estimated that only 10% of adolescents who had self-harmed had actually presented to hospital.

A self-harm awareness conference organised by both groups will be held next month on 1 March (Self-Injury Awareness Day).

Organisers say the conference will offer a mix of practical workshops and presentations relevant to teaching staff, community workers, parents and students.

“We hope that the conference on 1 March will give parents and carers the skills and confidence to initiate the conversation and support their young people in the move from self-harm to self-care,” said Surgenor.

If you need to talk, contact:

  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
  • National Suicide Helpline 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie – (suicide, self-harm)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

More information can be found on St Patrick’s website  

Read: Darkness Into Light: 120,000 people take part in annual suicide prevention event

Read: Pieta House teams up with farming group to highlight suicide among men in rural areas

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22 Comments
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    Mute Marcas Ó Callanáin
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:17 PM

    That’s a nice touch, fair play to them.

    129
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    Mute Michael League
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:11 PM

    Makes we wonder why they had a fake 1916 anniversary a few weeks ago. The dates were all wrong FFS!

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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:15 PM

    FFS = ?

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    Mute Boganity
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:17 PM

    You have heard of a characterization Michael ?

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    Mute Damien McCormick
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:18 PM

    For feck sake or Fianna Fáil are shite

    54
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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:20 PM

    Enda was worried that he wouldn’t get to play chief at the celebrations so he shifted it forward 6 weeks.

    54
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    Mute Conor O'Callaghan
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:31 PM

    @Michael – It is commonly known as the EASTER rising. Last month was the 100th EASTER since the EASTER rising. Hope this helps you, and the 500 billion commenters that have already pointed that out.

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:41 PM

    It’s a bank Holiday weekend

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    Mute TheBull
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    Apr 25th 2016, 2:00 PM

    It’s celebrated at easter every year. Some people just love moaning though.

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    Mute Michael League
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    Apr 25th 2016, 3:52 PM

    Maybe the anniversary of something should be on the date it actually happened. But f*ck logic, right?

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    Mute Raymond Power
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    Apr 25th 2016, 4:05 PM

    Just as well known as the 1916 rising or even the Dublin rising.It happened to be at easter time but easter had no significance whatsoever. Maybe the “500 billion” are unaware of the significance of 100 years to the day..At 17:30 listen to the beeps..close your eyes and let math do the rest.

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    Mute Tom Gleeson
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    Apr 25th 2016, 6:11 PM

    Easter had no significance? So your telling me they planned the rising for 24 April and it just happened to be Easter, silly Pearce not spotting that calender clash.

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    Mute Concerned Citizen
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:27 PM

    Any chance of a list of stations so I don’t miss it?

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    Mute RandomAct Of Kindnes
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    Apr 25th 2016, 2:16 PM

    “Irish Republic declared in Dublin today. Irish troops have captured city and are in full possession. Enemy cannot move in city. The whole country rising,” Written by James Connolly. transmitted by Marconi operator David Burke.

    If you miss it. this is the message that will be played

    https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/260318263%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-x9qEZ&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Apr 25th 2016, 5:23 PM

    Radio Nova’s going to play it. Thanks, Google, for captioning group photos. Thanks, The Journal for the news!

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:19 PM

    Sick to the back teeth of all the 1916 stuff now, can’t help but feeling it’s all totally disingenuous… while we have 100′s on hospital trollys, 500 kids in care who don’t have a social worker handling their case – we could go on & on.

    And all the while a bunch of ‘politicians’, more concerned with saving face and feathering nests than forming a government, who have the gall to present themselves as representatives of the people and of the state at these commemorations.

    It’s slightly ironic that on the 100 anniversary of independence, never before was the saying that the Irish can’t be trusted to govern themselves more true.

    Lets be honest, the men and women who gave up their lives in 1916 did it in vain, the only thing that really changed were the faces of the pigs at the trough weren’t they?

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    Mute Les Behan
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:25 PM

    Well said Eyepopper!

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    Mute Brendan Walsh
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:26 PM

    And yet in the Human Development Index, we are rated 6th best country in the world to live in. We all know it could be better but we’ve come a long way since we gained partial Independence.

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    Mute Ger Comings
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:32 PM

    Maybe Brendan – but not a good place to be ill in….

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:35 PM

    Whereas the British mainland has stalled, still stuck with the same living conditions and quality of life they had in 1916?

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:37 PM

    Tell one of those kids that was left in an abusive foster home that it’s one of the 6 best countries in the world to be abused.

    Tell the people on waiting lists and on trollies its the 6th best country in the world for medical treatment.

    Then tell them if they have enough money they can buy their way to the solutions to these problems.

    14
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    Mute Sam Glynn
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:42 PM

    Completely concur Eyepopper, my relatives definitely died in vain :-( very sad but very true comment.

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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:43 PM

    It’s better to be screwed by a politician called Paddy than a lad called Clive

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Apr 25th 2016, 2:52 PM

    I’ll bow to your experience Gerry, although I’d rather not be screwed at all if it can be helped.

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    Mute Shane Molloy
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    Apr 25th 2016, 6:00 PM

    There you living, the Isle of Man ?

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    Mute Shane Molloy
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    Apr 25th 2016, 8:53 PM

    Well then do your bit to deliver on the Proclomation !

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    Mute THE BIG LAD
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:38 PM

    No Govt for the 100th Anniversary ….the lads will be up in arms at the pearly gates!!!

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    Mute Kieran OKeeffe
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:28 PM

    Nicely put eyepopper..every true word of it..hard to believe,that out of the hundred years since the rising..Enda Kenny has been hiding in the dail for 40 of them..accidental Taoiseach was never more apt..

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:42 PM

    I agree with you Eyepopper. I’m all nineteen sixteen’ed out myself at this stage. To think it was the forerunner to the two ar$ehole parties that were spawned not long after. They still can’t agree on anything right up to this very second.

    They are a disgrace to this nation despite the well intended and expensive commemorations. They’ve taken the gloss of the whole thing.

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    Mute Charles Mount
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    Apr 25th 2016, 7:12 PM

    Marconi broadcast from Ballycastle to Rathlin Island in 1898 and live broadcast the Kingstown Regatta the same year. He established a transmission station at Rosslare Strand and Clifden in 1901 and established a regular radio service at Clifden in 1907.

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    Mute Leo Lowe
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    Apr 25th 2016, 4:17 PM

    What a load of tripe.

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    Mute Shane Molloy
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    Apr 25th 2016, 6:10 PM

    Don’t worry “normal” will resume for you soon

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