Suicide less of a social taboo
Professor of Psychiatry at UCD Dr Patricia Casey told pilgrims at the annual Knock Shrine Novena in Mayo yesterday that taboos and sanctions serve useful functions in controlling social behaviour.
"Those who speak of the removal of the stigma of suicide should tread very warily indeed," Dr Casey said. The overall suicide trend was upward and last year over 400 people, mostly men, died by their own hand, she said.
