shock rise in Suicides
The number of recorded suicides in Donegal has doubled in a year according to the most recent statistics.
Provisional figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show 20 people died by suicide in the county last year compared to ten in 2008, and that the rate here is higher than the national average.
The figures, which cover the last six years, show the rate of suicides in the county per 1,000 people is 12.9, compared to the national average of 11.8.
In 2004 there were 14 deaths by suicide here climbing to 17 in 2005 before the total dropped back down to 14 in 2006. The number of deaths dropped again the following year to 12 and to ten in 2008 but then doubled over the following 12 months.
The rate of deaths here has been below the national average rate for four of the last six years and was just marginally above it in 2005.
The annual report for 2009 from the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention said the provisional figures showed a 24 per cent increase across the country on last year. While the CSO has introduced a change to how it compiles suicide data and urges caution when comparing figures for 2009 with previous years, the National Office for Suicide Prevention says the increase cannot be solely attributed to changes in counting methodology.
Impact of economic downturn
The office says it is likely that the increase is primarily a result of the impact of the economic downturn with substantially more people unemployed and suffering from personal debt.
This view is supported by Fr. James Sweeney of the North West Counselling Service based in Donegal Town. He said hewas saddened but not surprised by the figures as the service has seen a significant increase in the number of people seeking help in the last 15 months.
"It is always a worrying trend when you see figures like that going upwards no matter how significant or insignificant the increase is," he said.
"We have seen people who have lost jobs, who have difficulty paying mortgages and there is a whole level of stress and worry that we have not seen before. In the past when people lost a job they could get another one, now they can't. There is a huge stress and worry on people about the future and just how to meet day to day bills."
Fr. Sweeney said people are coming to counselling services when they get "exhausted and burnt out". "They just don't know where to turn to and they keep fighting and trying and are almost at give up point and can't see any kind of future."
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Weather for Donegal
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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