Financial crisis may raise suicide rate, Samaritans warns

THE WORSENING financial crisis could lead to an increase in suicide as people struggle to come to grips with rising unemployment and mounting debts, the Samaritans warned yesterday.

The charity has called on people to look out for family, friends and colleagues and urged individuals experiencing emotional distress to contact its helpline.

Those at risk include not only people who become unemployed, but also those who remain in employment but feel they may lose their jobs.

"Financial difficulty can contribute to the breakdown of even the strongest relationships with friends and family. People may rely more heavily on alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism and it is well established that excessive alcohol consumption and drug misuse increase suicide risk," said the organisation's Joe Ferns.

Research undertaken on behalf of the charity shows that the unemployed are two to three times more likely to die by suicide than people in jobs. Unemployed men are more at risk than unemployed women. Other studies indicate that unemployment can often lead to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness - all of which increase the likelihood that someone will consider ending their life.

"We urge anyone feeling distressed or struggling to cope this Christmas to share their problems rather than letting them get out of control. Talk to your family, friends and colleagues or, if you feel you can't do this, contact us." added Mr Ferns.

The Samaritans in Ireland received more than 500,000 calls last year. According to the charity, one in 10 calls or e-mails concerned financial issues, with 41 per cent of contacts who mentioned economic concerns worried about employment, 32 per cent distressed about housing issues and 25 per cent anxious about debt.

Separately, the advice helpline Aware reported a steady rise in calls to its services since September. "We do know that difficult financial times can lead to people feeling extra pressure and can certainly aggravate any underlying concerns that they may have," said Sandra Hogan, public relations manager with Aware.

The Samaritans can be contacted by phone on 1850 60 90 90, via e-mail at c or face to face at one of its 20 branches. The Aware helpline can be reached at 1890 303 302.

Danger signs for suicide include being withdrawn or unsociable, low-spirited or depressed; drinking alcohol excessively or becoming dependent on drugs; and finding it difficult to relate to others.