Call for urgent action on suicide prevention | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Call for urgent action on suicide prevention

Sinn Fein’s Mark Gibbons has called for a meaningful, joined-up approach from all government departments to enhance suicide prevention in the North.

Sinn Fein’s Mark Gibbons

After losing a dear friend and work colleague to suicide, Mark became involved with PIPS Newry and Mourne to promote awareness and support for those affected by this tragedy in Rostrevor.

“Suicide is one of the biggest killers in the North with around 300 people taking their own lives each year, making it something that Stormont, and ourselves as a concerned community, urgently need to address,” he insisted.

“The reasons for suicide are complex and often very individual. Some common factors are depression, the current economic climate, as well as insecurities and social isolation.

“What is most alarming is that the overall suicide rate here has more than doubled in the past 30 years and it is clear that we urgently need a clear, strong and cohesive strategy encompassing all government departments to tackle suicide.”

Mark believes many suicides could be prevented if people didn’t feel ashamed to ask for help when they desperately need it. He urged anyone who is feeling as if they are struggling to cope in the village to just simply Talk.

Carefully choose an adult, parent, friend, teacher, youth-worker, clergy or simply phone PIPS Newry & Mourne on 028 302 66195 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. Don’t give yourself the additional burden of trying to deal with this alone.

Just talking about how you got to where you are releases an awful lot of the pressure, and it might be just the additional coping resource you need to regain your balance.

People in Rostrevor and the surrounding area need to remember when they are feeling at their lowest, to simply talk to loved ones and that “It’s ok not to be ok.”

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Posted by on Apr 25 2013. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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