Suicide, Road deaths - Government figures - how accurate are they? Funds needed urgently

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday March 03, 2007 21:32

by Kevin T. Walsh - Social Inclusion and Justice

EU Office, Dawson Street - a host of materials relating to EU countries and for free

Article 12 of the UN International Covenant on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) provides the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of mental health. This right is the central human dignity of the person. Principles for the protection of persons with mental health - the MI principles were adopted by the UN in 1991 and provide standards in relation to informed consent of treatment. Protection of confidentiality standards - the rights of people in mental health facilities and the provision of resources. This principle is the right of everyone without of exception to the best available mental health care.

I ask the question tonight - with our economy alledgedly booming - why is our suicide crisis representative of such a shambles particularly in area of mental health care?

The Government is in shambles. According to a newly formed alliance which claims that the number of people who take their lives is far higher than Government records. The Action on Suicide Alliance criticise the lack of funding and the so called research that costs millions in tackling this serious problem which claims more than 600 lives each year (almost 3 times the number of road deaths).

They also estimated that the number of people who self harm every year is 11,000 but this is a Government figure based on hospital records and an independent source claims it could be as high as 60,000.

Voluntary organisations are struggling day to day and can't be relied on to deal with this problem on their own. In 2005, 398 people were killed on the country roads. The Government spent 30 m. on road safety - the same year 431 people took their own lives and the budget on suicide was cut from E3.6 m to E1.8 m.

The other day, while in the EU Office in Dawson Street, I picked up a book on suicide data. Each country stated their numbers and facts and yet Ireland had submitted no data.......Again......I ask why?

28% of our prison population have serious mental health problems. Dr. Kennedy - Central Mental Health Hospital is heavily involved in researching this area. There is little support however from the Mental Health Commission and an inability to interact.

Turning the Tide of Suicide Rally which was organised this week in Dublin asked the hard questions - where is the research, the education, and the government help to tackle this epidemic?

Generations of Irish people have regarded suicide as a taboo subject in the popular mind - the social and religious stigma was so heavy that cases were invariably hushed up. If an incident was discussed at all, it was generally in the language of nods and winks. I ask tonight - people like Sean Crudden who writes comprehensive articles of Indymedia on mental health issues and suicide ........why are we stuck in Ground Hog day?

At the rally this week there was a compelling need for greater transparency, honesty and co-operation in confronting this deep seated malaise. The Government now have to provide realistic funding to tackle this issue. Suicide now is a scourge throughout this island which takes a heavy toll on thousands of families and Irish society.

A case that still preys on my mind over the last few months is the case of Ciara Gibbs in Kilkenny. An article was written in the Evening Herald on the 1st of December last year. It was written by Cormac Looney. He stated that Gardai investigating the death of Ciara Gibbs now believe she may have been killed. The 16 year old suffered injuries to her head and Gardai are officially treating her death as very suspicious. Looney continued to say - the detectives originally thought that Ciara slipped in the bath and sustained head injuries............It is thought that Ciara's mother found her body in the bathroom. Injuries on Ciara's body, particularly around the head, suggested some violence according to Mr. Looney's article.

Young Ciara's body was found by her father Gerard and young brother Gearoid (14). Ciara was found on a doorway to the bedroom. Her mother Dr. Lynn Hutchenson, Psychiatrist, was found lying unconscious on the bed - the mother now remains for months in St. Patrick's private hospital, Dublin. Doctors have advised Gardai that Dr. Hutchenson, Psychiatrist and Mother of Ciara, is not to be questioned for several days.

This comment by doctors was stated in December last. It is now March and I ask a serious question. What is going on? Where is the transparency? I wrote recently in one of my articles in relation to this case - if the family lived in Finglas would the family be accorded the same decorum by the Doctors and Gardai......? I am not making any wild allegations. I am just asking where is the natural Due Process?

When I read about the Wheelock family and comments relating to the night of this young man's arrest and the head injuries sustained (while being taken in a Garda van to Store Street) - where are the medical profession in relation to this boy? He was officially in the care of the State while in Garda custory, yet he was found dead in his cell. Now people are asking serious questions and the family gaining support. Serious questions are now being asked about the rights of this deceased young man.

Tonight while we all sit in our comfortable homes, there are over 120 inmates in Mountjoy prison in urgent need of mental health assessment and treatment but these people are caged. They are classed as low priority in Irish society. Maybe if one of them was a doctor or psychiatrist, things would be a lot different.

Quotation
Thomas Merton
'Today the first and perhaps the only duty of the philosopher is to defend man against himself, to defend man against that extraordinary temptation toward inhumanity to which - almost without being aware of it - so many human beings today have yielded.

I will close by reading Merton as saying Justice, Humanity, for all people.

Kevin T. Walsh

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Comments (8 of 8)

Suicide

by John

Sat Mar 03, 2007 22:50

Claptrap!

The CSO and Eurostat publish figures for the number of suicides in Ireland every year. Eurostat publish them for all EU countries. The figures are readily available from the websites of both these organisations.

The Eurostat online database currently gves the folowing figures for the numbers of suicides in various EU countries:

Ireland 401 (in 2005)
Austria 1392 (in 2005)
Finland 991 (in 2005)
Czech R 1564 (in 2005)
Denmark 727 (in 2001)
Sweden 1154 (in 2004)
Hungary 2742 (in 2004)
Portugal 1205 (in 2004)

Even allowing for different populations, the Irish rate is much lower than in any of these countries. It is much lower than in the Nordic countries and, in particular, is about half the rate of Finland.

The number of suicides in Ireland increased steadily from the 1950s until 1998. It peaked at 514 in 1998 (source: CSO website). Since then the suicide rate in Ireland has been falling steadily and in 2005 was about 20 per cent lower than in 1998. Sorry if this doesn't fit in with yout socio-economic theories on the reasons why people commit suicide.

The number of road deaths in Ireland each year since 1994 is as follows (taken from the Garda website):

1994 404
1995 437
1996 453
1997 472
1998 458
1999 413
2000 415
2001 411
2002 376
2003 335
2004 374
2005 396
2006 368

If you get your calculator out you'll see that during the period of the FG/Labour coalition from 1994 to 1997 the number of road deaths increased from 404 to 472. Since 1997 it has fallen from 472 to 368. So far in 2007 the number is down by a further 30 per cent in the months of January and February as compared with the same two months in 2006.

The other demon inside

by Lise Buckeridge

Tue Mar 06, 2007 06:46

lisebuckeridge at iprimus dot com dot au

I recently spent six weeks photographing in Ireland. What stuck me most insistently was a sense that while Ireland seems at last to have confronted one of its inner demons; the abuse of the vunerable within the Church, it seems unable or unwilling to face its twin; abuse within the Family. Reading the harrowing details of the lives of women such as Cynthia Owen left me thinking where is the humanity in such a society that could stand by without protesting while these things were being done.
Yes, the lack of progress in investigations into the death of Ciara Gibbs, the petty murder of Sheola Keaney by her petulant little boyfriend, even the acquittal Padraig Nally for murder because his property takes precedence over a man's life... they all feel linked. Brutality within the family and a society that becomes complicit by its very silence...

Lise

Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:46

Lise, might I suggest you now follow this up by spending six weeks photographing in social democratic secular non-Catholic Sweden, Denmark and Finland, after which you can post on here your theories on why each of these countries has far higher suicide rates and violent death rates generally than Ireland does.

Suicide.....Figures.....Baggot Street

by Kevin T. Walsh - Social Justice and Ethics

Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:49

John

Thanks for your friendly response regarding Suicide in Ireland. I always admire people with brains, facts and figures, just like Haughey and Cullen, Harney, and not forgetting our old friend Conrad Black, who is facing 101 years in State prison. He too held the view that Facts determined.

Now let us review the word Clap trap John. You condescending little man. Clap-trap 'An artifice or device to illicit applause or gain popularity, high flown sentiments to use a device by which a person paners to an audience. In simple terms to promote your own ego.....

Now John - we live in a country where suicide has become an epidemic, you silly man. It is very easy to criticise another persons' articles on suicide but let us see you write John.

I stood behind 17 coffins in the last 27 years of friends in the West of Ireland and Dublin......death by suicide. Most of the these people I knew personally. The unsung heroes of modern life in Ireland are the Samaritans and yet they have to beg for funding.

You gave us various figures across Europe. Now John - give us an input in prevention.

1. Why is there a major increase in binge drinking among our Young People? This has an input into suicide - research has shown. Record numbers over last Christmas phoned childline. One of the researchers in Childline stated - the worry is that the numbers are rising in their thousands each year. You see John we live now in a high tech age of mobile and computer and yet we have lost the art of conversation.

A friend of mine recently who came from England and carried her medical scheme with her i.e. NHS decided to leave her psychiatrist at a different health board who she attended successfully for many years. This lady, John attended 3 different psychiatrists in two weeks. She told me in tears that she never felt as humiliated in all her life but the last straw was when she asked me for help. The lady was on medication for over 8 years prescribed by her previous consultant and all of sudden in Baggot Street she met a doctor (I cannot name him for legal reasons) and he reduced her medication (very dangerous). On the Friday evening at the Chemist, the lady became much distressed. The Chemist phoned the doctor twice in relation to the woman's distress and suggested that he revert to the prior dose just for the weekend. The doctor refused arrogantly. On the following Monday morning when I flew back from business, I phoned this doctor and believe me John, I gave him two choices. Medication back to normal or the High Court. He phoned the chemist and the medication was put back to normal.

Then I tried to locate this doctor to enlighten him about the possible damage he could have caused to this woman. It now transpires he is not a qualified psychiatry and is training in another hospital, moved straight away. The senior consultant at Beaumount took my call and has written to me. It is now in the hands of the legal profession. An apology and maybe more is expected.

You see John Clap Trap is one thing - exact numbers regarding suicide is another and if you accept the figures from Government on Suicide here - then you are a very stupid man.

If I had not questioned Baggot Street, I would have never found out that this doctor was not qualified - but in training. How many more patients does this apply to?

You told Lise to take a camera and take some photographs - I advise you on this long weekend to get your camera out. Start off in Baggot Street psychiatric but first wear a mask because of the MSRA - you I hope realise that these numbers are spurious too.

While Minister Harney lavishes herself on her friend McIlvaddy's yacht off the Carribean, vulnerable people in our prisons are waiting for months for a psychologist.

The mental health issue John in our prison is about 27%.

I will close by saying don't forget your camera - put your clap trap in your brief case and go around Ireland's psychiatric hospitals and see the scandal John.

I have. I find this site lately fully of academic views but with no substance or interaction.

Finally but not least of all - you mentioned Ciara Gibbs and you expressed sympathy. I agree with you. Her mother is a qualified psychiatrist in the Kilkenny area. She has been locked away amongst her own for almost 3 months in St. Patrick's private hospital. The Gardai have only interviewed her twice for 10 minutes, Do you think a mother from Finglas or Ballymun would receive the same treatment John. Well I don't.

The next time you write back to me forget the word Clap Trap and try the word Cognitive for a change and as one scientist on the phone the other day told me - between 9-12% of road deaths are also suicide.

800 convene in Kerry hotel to interact about Suicide.....worldwide stance

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics

Wed Aug 29, 2007 16:29

Kevin......it seems you were right.

I note recent articles in the papers stating that figures relating to suicide in Ireland were not accurate and now have been altered to refllect this.

This is part of breaking down the stigma barrier.

It is at long last an acknowledgement of road accidents that are in fact suicides.

We have seen so many murders between 'couples' within the last few months, we must ask the question as to why? Is there a need for anger management or are their drink problems?

If we are to start following the Harvard line in Ethics, then we must look for people to start taking responsibility. Therefore can we assume, that in certain couple murders, there is an anomie factor.....

Michelle Clarke

Suicide.....20% bullied.....Why?

Mon Sep 03, 2007 17:42

Bullying is the major outcome reported this time from Suicide Conference in Kerry, this weekend.

Bullying equals 20% chance of suicide

But how are we so neglectful in Ireland about Bullying. Is it that we have been so busy apportioning blame to our Clergy, Nuns re. abuse, that we have missed the 'splinter in our own eye'.

Survival is about bullying....survival of the fittest is definitely about bullying dressed up in semantics of 'competition'.

It is endemic to sport, to childhood play, to profession, to function, to role play.........all aspects of life are about the 'Dancer and the Dance'.

Some people are sly, others manipulate, and contrive, others are just bare faced liars, some are sneaky.

What have we learned so far? What is the evolutionary psychology? What impact has religion had i.e. compassion, christianity? Have we attained the necessary wisdom?

Bullying: God help the vulnerable - they are attacked on all sides. But all I can say is that let people know, that their plight/victimhood is not necessarily unknown to them. It is just that they may have to accept the bullying (school, work, older, unemployed, childhood, teenager, adults, victim to poor health, ABI, Mental Health etc). They most likely know but have no other alterntative, at that time, but to struggle with the bullies.
Alas now we know that 20% of people who commit suicide are bullied.

Shame, shame, and more shame to a society that endorses this. How can we blame teenagers for bullying their friends when so many adults daily engages in their game of bullying to heighten their battered self esteem. Just think of all the petty criticisms we can engage in; the crazy level of perfection in how we look, dress, work, study, etc.

Lots of Questions are needed at every level. We are without religion now so the 7 Deadly sins are not longer a hidden urge to stop bullying.

Today sitting for coffee on Baggot Street - discussion revolved around the inadequacy of psychiatric services to provide for people in recovery.......the aspect of bullying is to be found at the cold face when people engage with public health services in this country particularly in the civil service bodies that deny a response when problems raised. As the person said and to me I agree, there is a loss of 'Genius' in the psychiatric profession. We need it and urgently and we need a greater umbrella affect so that Drug Addiction, Alcohol addiction, eating disorders, counselling, self education, mentoring, lectures involving feedback and inclusion of those affected. We need Philantrophy maybe Chuck Feeny to inject innovation to mental health and related conditions.

Then I spoke with a retired nurse and all I can say, she is doomed to Government Care - a room, little privacy, 16 flights of steps, bedsit, noise, etc. etc.

At this age of her life, this woman is being consistently bullied, comments are passed about her in a derisory way.

I will not fill in more details however, given the problem with suicide and old age, that now is so apparent, I would like to ask, can anybody comment about retirement to these 'care and repair' homes and just what management is sanctioned?

I feel saddened by what I have heard today but even more so when another young woman sat down gave her point of view and then discovered they were talking about the same bully.....

Raw emotions and hidden emotions, techniques and weaknesses - it applies to all people. How can we learn to identify the bullying characteristics and then model them against alternatives that remove the 'sting'.

Michelle Clarke

Quotation
Dalai Lama (b 1935) Temporal and Spiritual Leader if Tibet
Size
'If you think you rae too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito'

Another
Rita Mae Brown (b 1944) US Novelist
'To love without role, with out powerplays, is revolution'

Categories....Mental; Mad; Insane; Fear; Phobic; Sensitive;

Sat Sep 22, 2007 20:32

This is the time of year again that we must actively consider Suicide - the threat it is to vulnerable people; our young people, our elderly........

Something is just not right when you see Suicide numbers increasing. There is a visibility of help out there but the engagement is the problem. Everybody appears to want to know all about you but the truth is, they don't. They are bound by a similar fear to the fear of the person who is in despair, it is just another manifestation. The truth is they don't want to know......

People need to really sit back and think about life, about commitments, about their own limitations. It is only then that they can come forward to help others. People laden with their own frailties too often have a tendency to prop up their own faltering self-esteem by assuming a caring role. There can be a lot of emotional, mental and physical harm imposed here. This needs to be examined carefully. Awareness is critical in this case.

It is said Mr. Justice Kinlen's RIP report to be published shortly will tackle the issues of vulnerability in a forthright way......In England, the Prisons research has revealed similar vulnerabilities......

The mental and emotional health of another matters and just as much as the physical abuse alternative. Two many people are murdered these days born out of mental and emotional abuse, resulting in the physical act that harms or kills. The emotional and mental abuse can start in the classroom......or by those who encounter cumulative bouts of ill health.

I have chosen this quotation for its wisdom

Kabir (1440-1518) Indian Sufi Master
'Speech is priceless if you speak with knowledge
Weigh it in the scales of the heart before it comes from the Mouth'

Words can wound and scar. Something told in confidence can be hurled verbally across a crowded street and it can turn the heart to stone.....to despair.

Michelle (Thank you Muriel)

Suicide. Humanity. Exploration. Outcome. Warning Signs. Ciara Gibbs aged 16 R.I.P.

Wed Jan 16, 2008 19:48

Psychiatrist Dr. Lynn Hutchinson (Gibbs), before a trial jury) has entered a plea of murder (16 year old) daughter, Ciara.....putting forward Insanity at the time she committed the offence.

Today is a sad day but is an endorsement that all people are human with the flaws that humanity entails.

Sadness tonight doesn't even come near the tragedy that happened and I hope sincerely that Dr. Patricia Casey (Celeb psychiatrist) who writes regularly in the media will realise that we are all human beings. The history of this tragic Dr. Lynn Hutchinson, revealed in the media today, went beyond the word sadness. (Her childhood anorexia, her mothers' suicide, her hospitalisation aged 20). I would hope that Dr. Casey and others will accept now that psychiatry is to listen to the patient not to lecture.

I commend the Superintendent Aidan Roche, Thomastown Garda Station, kilkenny who headed up the investigation and his understanding and compassion towards the family. I hope this man is noted by his superiors in the Phoenix Park. I also commend Professor Tom Fahy - a consultant psychiatrist from London who told the court that Dr. Gibbs was suffering a major depressive illness at the time of the murder. His comments were echoed Van velsen who also had assessed Dr. Gibbs on her state of mental stability at that time.

In modern times in Ireland right now, the pace of life is fast, the art of conversation is gone, we don't necessarily know our neighbours in Dublin or major towns. Some evenings on the way home, I nod, sadly, it is the new hello now. Sometimes I get a nod back - other times I don't. I see men in pubs staring into the pint glass. Tonight there are men in bedsits in Rathmines and the word is loneliness and this word brings Depression. What really irks me is approximately 2 m. of us now have mobile phones with 6 flicks of our fingers we can talk to anyone globally and yet we don't find time to talk to each other. Approximately now 28% of the population suffers from some form of mental illness and yet stigma and denial still prevail. The question has to be placed at the door of Psychiatry and Psychology and the NDA as a statutory advisor to the Government - Euros 75 m. is approx. spent on research. In the name of logic - what Research? We need only consider that over 600 people in Ireland (that we know of) take their lives.

The young people in Middleton, Co. Cork, I believe have had to close down their suicide awareness centre due to lack of public funds yet Bertie, our Taoiseach, spends Euros 1,500 a month on make up......to conceal the Fagan's Bass Look. I ask the people of Ireland to learn from this case and I ask one more question - why is it that any young person on a Friday evening who feels suicidal has nowhere to go until Monday morning.

Shame on the HSE and Minister for Health Mary Harney - why the reduction in funding over the decade in Community Health Services for people with a variety of mental health difficulties. Why destroy in public services the motivation of consultants and their teams to provide the necessary environment for restorative health programmes for people with mental health problems, phobias, drug addictions, neurological outcomes e.g ME/Chronic Fatigue (which is ignored inspite of the recognition of the WHO......why can't their be centres of excellence for these life threatening situations.

Kevin T. Walsh

American Association of Suicidology. www.suidology.org ( very comprehensive)

www.ias.ie Irish Association for suicidology

Ogra Shinn Fein site ...... short video on suicide....well worth viewing.

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Suicide, Road deaths - Government figures - how accurate are they? Funds needed urgently

Comments (8 of 8)