Loss of homes ‘sparks suicide crisis’
Console said it receives around 3,400 calls a month, including a “wave of callers” who can not see a way out of the housing crisis.
Chief executive Paul Kelly called on the new government to send out a message that “people can stay in their homes” while they sort out the wider crisis.
The warning came as a demonstration, organised by the Land League and Friends of Banking Ireland, was held in Dublin City centre to highlight what they claim have been three recent suicides of farmers over repossession of their homes.
Over the weekend, the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation said that a survey of almost 500 of its members found that three out of 10 had suicidal thoughts in the previous four weeks and that a fifth had active plans to take their own lives.
“Our free 24-hour helpline receives around 3,400 calls a month, but over the last six months we have noticed an ever increasing upward trend in the amount of people calling due to the housing crisis,” Mr Kelly said.
He said Console was dealing with many cases in the aftermath of a suicide and providing bereavement counselling.
“We are seeing ever-increasing amounts of people in pre or post-repossession crisis at high risk of taking their own lives,” said Mr Kelly.
Console has found that callers in this area have typically either lost their homes, were in high mortgage arrears, facing foreclosure or were struggling to deal with high rents.
“We are increasingly seeing people entering into a state of paralysis, who simply cannot function under the strain,” said Mr Kelly. “People tell us they can’t sleep at night, they are having panic attacks and don’t want to wake up in the morning for fear of the dreaded letter.”
He said Console receives “harrowing calls” from people living in hotel rooms, often with children. He likened their conditions to that of a “pressure cooker”, with children having to travel for hours for school and parents having no place to cook food for them.
He said many of their callers are men, who, he said, traditionally find it difficult to talk about emotions.
“For them picking up the phone to talk to a suicide prevention helpline is often the ultimate sign of failure,” he said. “They feel they have failed their family, failed their partner, and failed their children.”
Mr Kelly said many of the families are like “ticking time bombs”.
He urged the Government to act immediately: “You couldn’t imagine the mental health relief across the country if people were told they could live in their homes. The government could then deal with the financial institutions because there are a lot of repossessions out there, a lot of vulture funds.”
Meanwhile, around 70 people held a demonstration yesterday over mortgage debt and house and farm repossessions in Dublin City centre. Four people carried a coffin emblazoned ‘Bankers Death Collection’, while others held crosses.
Jerry Beades, chairman of Friends of Banking Ireland and the Land League, claimed that three farmers had taken their lives in recent weeks because of repossessions.
“There’s a huge issue with farmers and debt as often they won’t talk about it,” he said. There’s a huge level of anger out there.”
Mr Kelly said Console has witnessed this issue too: “Farmers are by their nature very private and are often isolated and socially disconnected. Many look after their animals better than themselves.”
He urged people in distress to ring them or other support bodies: “You need to say to people ‘we’ll go on this journey with you’. That way we can save a life.”
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