Rise in number of people seeking suicide counselling

ALMOST 7,000 “hugely traumatised” adults and 581 children who have been bereaved by one or more suicides attended specialist counselling services in the first six months of this year.

Last year, suicide bereavement and prevention service Console counselled 12,668 adults and 1,142 children and the charity’s director of services Ciaran Austin warned that the number of people coming to them is steadily increasing.

Mr Austin noted that this year, more people are coming in the aftermath of one or two losses in the family or community. There has been a notable increase in the number of workplaces approaching Console looking to help employees cope with a colleague’s suicide.