Spot the signs and save a life, urges campaigner

To the dispassionate observer, the stark fact that every week 10 people in Ireland die by suicide is a statistic.

To their family and loved ones, it is a personal tragedy.

Eight out of those 10 who take their lives are men. Statistic or tragedy? Both.

The rate of suicide is twice as high among rural men compared with urban dwellers. Twelve out of 100,000 men in Dublin City take their own lives compared with 25.5 per 100,000 men in Co Roscommon, UCD researcher Maria Feeney found when carrying out a Teagasc case study on Suicide and Agricultural Change.

Pauline McDonald from Cois Coille in Tralee, Co Kerry, lost her 25-year-old son Shane to suicide. It was, she says, “the single most devastating thing that ever happened to me”.

Instead of retreating into her own grief, Pauline raised €33,000 for Pieta House, the centre for prevention of self-harm or suicide which last month allowed it open a centre in Castleisland.

Her efforts have also helped the organisation launch a new campaign aimed at reducing male suicide. The focus is on wives, mothers, girlfriends, sisters — any woman who may feel concern for a vulnerable male friend or relative.

“I think women can have an enormous effect on the reduction of male suicide,” says Joan Freeman, founder and CEO of Pieta House.

“That is why we are calling to action every woman across the country to ‘Mind Our Men’.”

From its beginnings in 2006 to the present day, Pieta House, which offers a free service to those in distress, helped almost 5,000 people with suicidal thoughts.

“Although there’s been a huge increase in awareness over the past number of years, it’s clearly not enough as our men are still dying by suicide,” says Ms Freeman, who lost a close female family member to suicide a decade ago.

“There are hundreds of organisations doing great work but it’s family and friends who are on the frontline and who need to educate themselves on the warning signs to look out for. Research shows that more suicides are prevented by family and friends than by any organisation or institution. This is why we’re targeting the women and men of Ireland and empowering them to tackle the problem of suicide — spot the signs and save a life.

“It’s frightening to think that there are women and men across Ireland today whose loved ones may be contemplating suicide without their knowledge.

“It could be your father, your son, your partner, your brother, your friend; this is why it’s so vital that we all take a proactive approach in learning the signs to look out for.”

* If you are in distress or concerned for the welfare of someone you believe may be contemplating suicide, ring the Samaritans hotline on their low rate number, 1850 609090. The website samaritans.org also lists other organisations that can help.

Suicide signs

Pain isn’t always obvious, but most suicidal people show some signs that they are thinking about taking their own lives. Some of those signs may include, but are not be limited to:

* Withdrawal: A sign of disengagement with everyday activities they once loved.

* Mood swings: Being uncharacteristically sad or depressed or unusually cheerful or hyperactive.

* Reckless behaviour: Acting in dangerous ways that shows a cavalier attitude to their own wellbeing.

* Suicidal talk: Vague statements or subtle indications of suicidal thought. Saying things like: “I can’t take it anymore.”

* Unexpected or uncharacteristic rage or anger.

* Increased alcohol or drug intake.