High house prices linked to suicide

ANYONE mired in the rat race of home hunting will know the pressures of competing in a property market where prices have literally gone through the roof.

Astonishingly, this business is now so intense that soaring house prices are linked to suicide rates among young men.

Other factors contributing to one of Europe’s worst suicide scenarios include unemployment, child-access problems and alcoholism.

Regrettably, the Celtic Tiger mentality has sown the seeds of materialism and greed in society. Increasingly, young people are driven by the need to maintain a facade of success.

In these rapidly changing times, there is a growing attitude of “live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself”. For many, the quality of life has deteriorated and they resort to alcohol.

The findings of the Mid Western Health Board study are truly frightening. Unless suicide is understood as a complex social phenomenon, the lessons of this important report will be lost.