Suicide

[Agent Orange]

According to BBC Newsline there are more than 300 suicides per year in NI. Frightening.

There were two local suicides recently, both young men in their early 20s, both seemed to have everything to live for. One seemed to have it all planned and left notes to various people, the other just seemed to go out and do it, no warning signs at all.
Its hard to know what to do to help these people, in many cases there are no warning signs.

[Capt Pat]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

Drink and depression don't mix. If you are depressed you shouldn't drink at all. The problem is with the drinking culture it is hard to avoid.

[IolarCoisCuain]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

Drink and depression don't mix. If you are depressed you shouldn't drink at all. The problem is with the drinking culture it is hard to avoid.

No. Drink is social in Ireland. If you don't go for a drink you might never leave the house, and that's not a good thing. Obviously, drinking eighteen pints is overdoing it but shunning our chief (or only) social lubricant is asking for trouble in my opinion.

[Capt Pat]

That is kind of my point. The drinking social occasions can't be avoided but if you are going downhill mentally, drink and drugs have to go. Drink orange juice, tea or coffee or coke or seven up. You need to be able to control your drinking, sacrifice a bit, go to a bit of trouble to sort yourself out.

[ :)quote author=IolarCoisCuain link=topic=21828.msg1126605#msg1126605 date=1340923246]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

Drink and depression don't mix. If you are depressed you shouldn't drink at all. The problem is with the drinking culture it is hard to avoid.

No. Drink is social in Ireland. If you don't go for a drink you might never leave the house, and that's not a good thing. Obviously, drinking eighteen pints is overdoing it but shunning our chief (or only) social lubricant is asking for trouble in my opinion.
[/quote]

[Captain Obvious]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

Drink and depression don't mix. If you are depressed you shouldn't drink at all. The problem is with the drinking culture it is hard to avoid.

Most depressed are taking a pile of medication and that doesn't mix with drink either.

[Rois]

A wee guy I knew from more or less the day he was born took his life in February aged 20.  He'd just rejoined the local GAA club, and their response was great at the time.  I still can't think about it without tears appearing and they're here right now as I type.
 
I think that GAA clubs are the perfect place to raise the issue, maybe make it a fundamental part of the monthly training programme.  It's generally young men that seem to be most at risk, and if something could be done regularly after training to talk about suicide and the problems that trigger such feelings, then it might become less of a taboo for the younger guys.  I just don't know who could or should be responsible - maybe some regional leadership required from the provincial boards?  I think that various groups try their best with the information sessions etc but I don't think they're enough. 

Maybe getting PIPS on board as a sponsored charity and get some input from them would go some way to finding a workable solution?

[boojangles]

Great work being done by this charity. Between SOSAD and Pieta House there have been at least 4 fundraisers around Cavan in the last few months. Hope it increases awareness and understanding.

http://www.sosadireland.ie/

[maggie]

Awful news about your friend Jim. RIP.

God love his wife, a wee 8 month old and another one on the way. 

[TyrionLannister]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

Drink and depression don't mix. If you are depressed you shouldn't drink at all. The problem is with the drinking culture it is hard to avoid.

No. Drink is social in Ireland. If you don't go for a drink you might never leave the house, and that's not a good thing. Obviously, drinking eighteen pints is overdoing it but shunning our chief (or only) social lubricant is asking for trouble in my opinion.

+1

Drink actually loosens the tongue and gets people to talk.

I have done that ASIST course (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), highly recommend it
http://www.nosp.ie/html/training.html

RIP

[scoopmine]

A group being run by a friend. If anyone could join it I think every little help https://www.facebook.com/groups/131285443554980/

[Cold tea]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

If you have no proof maybe you should stop spouting crap.

[Cold tea]

My best mate committed suicide over fifteen years ago, his mum in a quest for answers put a lot of research into the topic and the link between serotonin and sucide (or the lack of serotonin in young males) leads me to believe that unfortunately it is an illness and in most cases if the patient is prevented from one attempt they will surely succeed in another.

[Farrandeelin]

RIP to your friend Jim. I remember the day a neighbour of mine hanged himself. He was all set to go to a Mayo match with his dad later that afternoon. When his father called around to his house after Mass, the door was left open and he was hanging just a few metres inside it. I don't think I've ever felt so numb in my life and it was an awful time for the community as a whole.

[seafoid]

My best mate committed suicide over fifteen years ago, his mum in a quest for answers put a lot of research into the topic and the link between serotonin and sucide (or the lack of serotonin in young males) leads me to believe that unfortunately it is an illness and in most cases if the patient is prevented from one attempt they will surely succeed in another.

Re Serotonin
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858669073/
Happiness is nothing but the flow of serotonin, it ain't got nothing to do with Jesus Christ, nothing got to do with wrong or right, oh help me out Simp, can it be right? that it all boils down to how the chemicals flow to your soul?"...


Suicide isn't predestined. Depression drives most of it.

Suicidal feelings can be overwhelming but they are transient and are only extremely powerful for seconds for most people. Ten seconds too late can make all the difference.

That is the worst thing about suicide in young people. It could just take one conversation to begin to rescue the situation and save a life.

[trileacman]

I'm not aware of the statistics and I don't have proof to back this up but I consider the misuse of alcohol, especially among young men to be a strong contributing factor to the suicide rate. You can talk about getting people to "talk about things" and "recognizing signs" but if we really want to tackle suicide at its roots then our attitude to drink has to change. Attitudes that include the idea that people being wasted is funny especially if it's someone you know and that alcohol is almost a mandatory part of any celebration.

If you have no proof maybe you should stop spouting crap.

Your very short on proof yourself. What lofty position have you to speak down from on these matters? Treatment of depression with serotonin is no more successful than lithium, thyroxine or even ECT. The chemical interactions in the brain are extremely complex and as such leads it to being difficult to treat, often it takes a long time to reach a successful treatment.

and in most cases if the patient is prevented from one attempt they will surely succeed in another.

That's spouting crap. You are saying that most of the time if doctors or therapists intervene in a case then they are often destined to take there own life anyway? That's the type of attitude that leads to such a high suicide rate in the first place. "ah sure there is nothing we could have done anyway".