Statement Form The Irish Association Of Suicidology In The Aftermath Of The Recent Suicide Tragedy In Cork

Main Category: Depression
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Mental Health
Article Date: 18 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Our deepest sympathy goes to all those bereaved through suicide and particularly those left in pain following the recent suicide/filicides in Ireland.

Murder suicide including murder filicide (that is the murder of a child by one or other parent who subsequently ends their own life by suicide) though a rare event is more common than one might think and always a matter of great concern. The incidence of murder suicide, when statistics are examined over a number of years, is in the region of one per 500,000 - 750,000 of the population per annum. These events are thought to be underreported. The parent, in these cases, is more commonly the father than the mother according to international research. Statistics of course tell us nothing about the anguish and pain left in the aftermath of such tragedy for family, friends and communities.

Factors involved in leading to these deaths are numerous and include post partum depression, perinatal psychoses, major depressive illness, other major psychiatric illness, relationship problems, isolation, loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness.

In Ireland there have been 6 such tragic events in the past eighteen months. Some of these tragic events are probably not preventable. They do however raise many questions about issues related to suicide and suicide prevention and the promotion of positive mental health.

First, there is the lack of specialist psychiatric services for women during pregnancy and in the year following child birth (Perinatal Psychiatry) and the lack of proper risk assessment to children in this period.

Second, to many the psychiatric services are remote, not user friendly and not always readily accessible. The provision of psychiatric and counselling services is unevenly spread throughout the country. There is a need for greater funding of all of these services and for the voluntary organisations that are making such valuable contributions to all aspects of suicide prevention and support for the bereaved at both national and local levels.

Third, not unreasonably, suicide filicide has received a great deal of media attention. Much of the reporting has been mature and reflective. Some however has been appalling, broken all the internationally agreed guidelines for the portrayal and reporting of suicide in the media including those published by the Irish Association of Suicidology and Samaritans. These guidelines are all supported by robust research. Shock, horror, over dramatic simplistic repetitive reporting may frequently lead to copycat suicide and this is also true of murder suicide and suicide filicide.

Responsible reporting of suicide on the other hand may prevent copycat suicide. The media must bear in mind the impact of, what is written and how it is presented, will have on vulnerable persons at risk and on people endeavouring to cope with their grief and pain in the wake of such awfulness.

A Vision for Change, the report of the expert group on mental health policy needs to be implemented in full as a matter of urgency. That is only part of the answer to the problem. The voluntary organisations as mentioned above have a major part to play in all aspects of suicide prevention and need more recognition, funding and support. The media have a very clear role to play in educating the public about suicide and suicide prevention and when how and where to get help. Too often some sectors of the media forget the latter in the immediate aftermath of a crisis with what results one can but guess.

Statement Ends

Irish Association of Suicidology 16th July '07

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