Emphasis should be on therapy

THE picture of Irish society depicted

According to Joe Griffin, who is regarded as among Europe’s foremost experts, depression is escalating rapidly in Irish society.

Ironically, in a world of hi-tech communication, the stark reality is that the level of inter-personal contact is diminishing. Because of a growing lack of interaction on a daily basis, people feel more isolated.

His criticism of the Government’s failure to address the alarming explosion of suicide among young males is entirely warranted. According to statistics, four times more Irish men commit suicide than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe. Much of the blame lies with the inadequacy of psychotherapy and counselling services here.

A radical change of mind-set is urgently needed in the medical profession. All too often, doctors blame depression on a chemical imbalance in the brain and wrongly see drugs, rather than therapy, as the answer. With depression increasing alarmingly, the challenge is to break the cycle without resorting to drugs.