Recession measures ‘resulted in hike in suicides’

Ground-breaking research by the Cork-based National Suicide Research Foundation into deaths during the recession has found that the “extreme measures” by the Government during the recession contributed to the rise in suicides among vulnerable people.

These were people who didn’t benefit from the Celtic Tiger and were “doubly, affected by the recession”, NSFR director of research Ella Arensman, told the Irish Association of Suicidology annual conference in Killarney.

The in-depth study of 307 people who took their own lives during the period 2008-2011 inclusive in Cork City and County included interviews with health practitioners who had dealt with the deceased as well as a study of coroners’ files.

It found a link between the three things — austerity, and economic factors and psychological vulnerability, said Prof Arensman, who is also attached to the Department of Public Health at UCC.

A person’s occupation defines them very much and the impact of unemployment as well as employment on mental health is “huge”, contributors said. A new term, ‘the precariate’, is being used for workers because of the current precarious nature of employment and its impact on mental health.

Prof Arensman noted that Ireland at the time suffered “extreme measures” from government austerity plans.

“The extent of the cut-backs here were much more significant,” she said, noting that suicide figures are still 12% more than before the economic crisis.

Sara Leitao, NSRF senior researcher/primary care liaison manager found high rates among construction workers whom the recession had hit hard; but she also found high rates among nurses and medical staff. Of those unemployed at the time of their death, 36.1% worked in construction. Further research into the link between employment and suicide is needed, she said.

There is “a big stigma” about mental health among health workers, and this is not unique to Ireland, said Prof Arensman.

“The nurse cannot be sick... the doctor is on a certain pedestal... they can’t admit to having mental health problems.”

Prof Arensman warned of the dangers of “misinformation” and sensationalism in media reporting of suicide. The family in the case of the recent murder-suicide in Cavan had been painted as “the perfect ideal family” in the community. That had resulted in phone calls to helplines, especially by mothers asking if this can happen out of the blue to them too. “It caused a lot of fears among mothers,” said Prof Arensman.

Meanwhile, the term ‘suicidal’ should be replaced by ‘emotional pain’, the conference heard. The urge to end it all arises when people are so overwhelmed by emotional pain their focus narrows and they can not see options, and suicide is seen as a solution.

“But there are always better solutions,” said Declan Murray, consultant psychiatrist, HSE Mental Health Services North Dublin, and a senior clinical lecturer at University of Limerick.

Dr Murray said suicide determinations are not easy, “even after the event” and noted that predicting suicide is even more difficult.

“Coroners vary considerably in the verdicts they give to individuals who probably died by suicide and of 593 deaths classified as suicide by researchers only 385 or 65.4% received a suicide verdict,” said Dr Murray.